…the good news is you’re the pilot.
The bad news is that time flies and sometimes it seems to move quickly, while at other times it seems to move more slowly. But, the good news is we are the pilots and that means we can choose how we spend our time.
This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.
This quote reminds me of when I was in my teens and 20’s and how I piloted my own life. I was in control, charting my own course and spending my time chasing selfish pursuits. I lived a self-directed life and as a result, I spent time doing things I now regret. But, God in His mercy, changed my life when I accepted Christ at the age of 27.
I remember my Pastor giving me a short essay called: A Tandem Ride With God, to explain how God wants control of our lives when we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. It’s an analogy that describes new believers and at first, they are usually the ones pedaling and sitting up front on a tandem bicycle with Jesus sitting on the back seat. But, then Jesus suggests that they switch places and let Him be the driver. As a result, life becomes a thrilling adventure with Him in control and leading the way.
I don’t know about you, but I would much rather have Jesus in control and piloting my life than me. I willingly and gladly take the co-pilot seat and trust Him so that I can safely reach the right destination. He made this possible when He died on the cross for our sins.
God has given us free will to choose to live either a self-directed life or a God-directed life in Christ.
I’ve lived both ways and I can tell you that His way is best.
But, perhaps you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please click here if you would to do so now.
The Lord can help us with time management. Each day a Christian can pray, asking Him to fill and empower us with His Holy Spirit. By surrendering our lives each day to Him, we can trust Him to help us use our time well; and to let us know if we get off track.
This is the essence of doing as Jesus commanded His disciples in Luke 9:23 which says,
Then Jesus said to all the people: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me. (CEV)
Life is a gift from our Creator and one day we will have to give an account of how we’ve lived as Romans 14:12 says, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” (NIV)
Living God’s way helps us to use our time well.
Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (ESV)
Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (NIV)
We need wisdom to use our time well. To gain wisdom, we need to know God’s will for us and understand how He wants us to live.
In order to know God’s will, we can seek Him by spending time with Him in prayer and Bible study.
Meeting daily with the Lord is a good investment of time and an essential component of good time management.
In addition, we can regularly schedule an extended period of time with the Lord to receive greater insight and guidance from His Word.
There are so many different Bibles versions, Bible apps, devotionals and Bible websites available to spend time in God’s Word. Biblehub.com is a Bible study site and some Bible websites such as Biblegateway.com have an audio version of the Bible.
See the Recommended Resources page on this website for many great resources.
I use an internet Bible for study, an audio version while walking, and in the evening, I read from a hard copy edition.
Using these tools can help us to grow in our understanding of God’s will and help us to use our time wisely.
We don’t know how long we have to live, so it is important that we take stock and reevaluate our lives to make sure that we are using our time well.
In addition to receiving help from the Lord, prayer and Bible reading; good time management requires an investment of time, organization, tools and effort.
Setting and achieving goals can motivate and encourage us as we see the fruits of our labor. We can use a specific method to set and monitor goals on a daily, monthly and annual basis. This type of planning requires careful thought and prayer.
The first step is to identify your purpose. Then next begin by identifying and prioritizing core values. Next, write your life vision.
An excellent book to help with time management and all of the necessary steps for setting goals is the: Don’t Miss Your Life eBook.
These resources are great for successful time management and can help us stay accountable and gain confidence.
But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand. (Isaiah 32:8 NIV)
What would you like to accomplish with your time?
Could you use some help with time management and setting goals?
Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.
Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!
Additional resources about related subjects on this site:
NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth