If you browse the aisles of your local bookstore, you’ll find anywhere between 3 and 20-bajillion books on time management. If you thought that was a lot of material, wait until you see all the blogs and internet sites on the subject.
So why do another blog? What’s different about Life of a Steward?
This blog is about Christian time management.
I can see you scratching your head and thinking to yourself, “Well, what’s ‘Christian’ about Christian time management. How is it different from just-plain-old-ordinary time management?”
Christian Purpose and Goals
A lot of people think that managing your time is about cramming more and more into your day. They think that going, going, going, and going is the key – and they look for advanced tricks like how to brush your teeth while combing your hair while eating your breakfast while reading the paper while driving down the highway to work.
But time management, whether it’s Christian or not, is not about doing more things – it’s about doing the right things. It’s about taking a step back and asking yourself:
“What is the purpose of my life?”
“What do I want my life to look like in 20 years? In 5 years? In 2 years?”
“What goals do I need to set to reach this outcome?”
“What actions do I need to take to meet my goals?”
It should be apparent that when you start asking profound questions about the purpose of your life, a Christian approach is going to have very different answers from a non-Christian one. And we will set different goals in order to fulfill this purpose.
A Christian View of Stewardship
Life is short. James 4:14 says, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Moses prayed “So teach us to number our days.” (Psalm 90:12). Our remaining time on earth is being constantly depleted, second by second.
The realization that our time is a limited resource combines with our Christian view of life’s purpose to show us the necessity of using our time wisely. Our time is a resource given by God – entrusted to us to manage well. Just as we are to be good stewards of our money, so also we are to be good stewards of our time. The way we spend our time becomes not just a practical matter of maximum effectiveness; it becomes a spiritual decision.
Christian Motivation in Practice
The true test of time stewardship doesn’t come in a lofty, annual goal-setting session. It comes in the day-to-day implementation – in the minute-by-minute struggle to maintain our work ethic instead of giving in to our inner procrastinator. On this practical level, the Christian is comforted, encouraged, challenged, and motivated by a wealth of scripture passages. When the rubber meets the road, the Bible-focused Christian will think and act differently even in the seemingly small daily decisions.
Christian Priorities and Patterns
While maximizing your effectiveness and accomplishing great things are certainly worthwhile pursuits, they are only a portion of the holistic view of time and life that a believer holds. Spending time with family, serving in ministries, taking proper time to rest, and maintaining a daily relationship with Jesus will all be important to a Christ-follower. So, naturally, discussions on time management will speak on those priorities.
What it really comes down to is that time management is about life management. And, as Christians, we manage our very lives based on the principles of the one who came so that we may have life and have it abundantly.
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