Managing Your Time (Part 1)

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

The next few blogs will deal with managing our time. This is one of the worst areas for me. I am a great procrastinator. I like waiting to the last minute to do something. I like the rush it gives me. Just do not get in my way because I can also be a bear to deal with. I like waiting to the last moment but I do not like wasting time in that moment.

Spreading God's good news is not one of those areas I like to procrastinate in. A friend of mine was in a very popular band in Athens, GA. They were really popular there and in New Orleans. I slowly began to connect with the rest of the band members. We all had one thing in common, we liked to stay up all night (except when we did not have to study) and play video games and have fun.

I remember the last time I saw Zach, one of the band members. He was heading home for the holidays but would be back in a couple of weeks. We scheduled an all night tournament for when he returned. He didn't.

While drinking he entered the back seat of a car. The driver was taking them home when she hit a patch of ice and lost control. She was injured and two other passengers were fine. Zach, however, had not buckled his belt and in his drunken stupor was thrown forward and it broke his neck.

They were only a block away from Zach's home. One of the band members rushed to the scene and tried to revive him. He had died instantly.

I have been to the grave site twice. Once for a commemorative concert in his honor against drinking and driving. Another time I took my wife and we searched the graveyard until we found his memorabilia covered grave.

I mention this story because Paul wanted the church of Thessalonica to pray for the quick spread of God's eternal hope to the whole world. I had walked away from Christ for a number of years. I did not renew my relationship with Him until a few years after Zach's death. I will always wonder about what if.

I encourage you as you read this to not wait to the perfect moment to learn how to effectively share your faith. If you haven't been committed to God lately or haven't ever been committed, I hope you will understand that though life seems to pass by quickly here on earth, time spent well can mean so much more when you carry the torch and passion of God's love.

Paul says that the Lord is faithful not only to guard us from the temptings of evil but also to stick with us no matter what the circumstances. When friends are stabbing us in the back, God is there to bring comfort. When work or school are unbearable, God is there bringing peace and comfort. When you make huge mistakes, God is there to forgive and help you move on.

One of the greatest character traits of Jesus is His endurance. He endured the ridicule. He endured the beatings. He endured hanging from a rugged cross. He endured to give us strength to endure. So I ask you, how are you letting God direct your path?

Part of learning how to manage time comes from being willing to do the right thing. The great thing about having a relationship with God is that as we learn to study His Word, He faithfully and gently teaches us how to become diligent. Though I have enjoyed being a procrastinator, this lesson has helped me to find more joy in actually getting things done ahead of time. There is a whole lot less stress, and I do not bang heads with people as often.

Look at this verse: Because of the Master, we have great confidence in you. We know you're doing everything we told you and will continue doing it. 2 Thess 3:4 (MSG)

What stands out to me is "we have great confidence in you." As we learn to manage our time, people become more confident in us. They learn to trust us. They are able to respect us. This is a life lesson that can play out at any time. Just by learning to manage time, I can change the way people think about me.

This is where I learn to be content. If I work on today, tomorrow will take care of itself. If I work on today, yesterday becomes yesterday and not something that hangs over me as another wasted day. So, stop letting yesterdays and tomorrows creep up on you. Take hold of your life and enjoy it. Until next time...