I'm not as busy as I claim to be

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

“Every day is a journal page, every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in all we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse or will today bring the blessing?
Fill the page with rhyming verse or some random sketching?

One of the songs that inspires me, whose lyrics are in italics in this article, is Chris Rice’s Life Means so Much. One of my continual struggles is to make the most of my time, to spend each moment doing things that matter, and prioritizing those things that are most important. This song is one of those voices in my life that encourage and inspire me to live my life for the Lord.
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

Along those lines, one practice that has helped me is to catch myself whenever I hear myself saying “I’m too busy” or “I didn’t have time to get that done.” The truth is that God has given me 24 hours, and I do have choices every day on how I spend my time. I may have some time that is taken up by sleep, or eating, or work, but there are times every day where I can choose how to spend my time. Even standing in line, showering, or sitting in the bathroom is time that can be used for His glory. “I’m too busy” can be a copout, a way of not facing up to the reality that I may be making poor choices as to how I spend my time.

Every day is a bank account and time is our currency
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor, we get 24 hours each
So how are you gonna spend, will you invest, or squander
Try to get ahead or help someone who's under

This past Sunday, Tom Kubiak of Hartford City Mission preached at our church. One of his challenges had to do with devoting ourselves to prayer, as he shared the motto “No prayer, no power; little prayer, little power; much prayer, much power.” I have never been someone who was very dedicated to prayer. And most of the prayer I engage in is abiding prayer, where I spend time with God, allowing Him to mold my will to His will. I am not as committed to intercessory prayer, praying for family, friends, and for those who do not know Christ to come to faith in Him. But Tom’s words challenged me. I realized that I spend an average of two hours every day in the car, driving to and from work and driving kids to school, day care, and various activities. I decided that this week, I would shut off the radio and spend time in prayer, listening to God, reflecting on life, and lifting up in prayer those who are in my life.

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

So what about you? Are you prone to blaming your busyness for your lack of prayer, or devotion to God, or service to others? Take a more careful look at your life. How are you spending your time? How can you choose more wisely to make the most of the 24 hours God has given you today?

Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life?
And don't you think giving His all would prove the worth of yours and mine?
Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much

May God give you the wisdom and strength to give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, to make the most of every opportunity, to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.

Every day is a gift you've been given
Make the most of the time every minute you're living