Everyone is different in many ways, but one thing that we all people have in common is that we all have 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week and 365 days in a year.
What sets every person apart is how we manage our time and make the most of it. Did you know that it is God's will for you to be wise in the use of your time? Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."
When we truly understand that time is a gift freely given by God because of His bountiful grace, we will not want to take it for granted. God has given us finite time so that we may honor Him with what time He has given to us.
Here are five practical ways that you can honor God with proper time management.
Honor other people's time
1 John 4:20 says "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar..." It follows that we cannot honor God if we fail to honor others. If we want to honor God with our time by managing properly, we must honor other people's time by not being late, respecting call times and being a good steward of other people's times.
Be productive
God has called us to be productive. The first command he gave to man was to "be fruitful and multiply," and God wasn't talking about just having as many babies as possible contrary to popular belief.
It's true that we cannot be productive apart from God's grace, but God's grace will always lead us to be productive.
Don't overwork yourself
There's a reason why God commanded us to rest -- because if left to ourselves, many of us would probably work and work until we're sucked dry of every ounce of energy and motivation. God wants us to be productive with our time, but He also wants us to take time to slow down and rest.
Give time to those who value it most
Many people move around as if time was not as valuable as money, satisfaction or success. The time we have is the most valuable asset we can give to those who need our time most. Our families need the most of our time and we shouldn't give them less than what we give to other people.
Make God the top priority
Over and over, God commands us throughout the whole scripture to put Him first. Placing God as number one in our lives means that in every decision we make, we involve Him. When God is part of our family, our work, our relationships and our possessions, that is when He is most honored.
