Does God care about how we use our time? I mean, we often think about God working through the big things in life, but what about the small things? Does God care about our schedules and what we do in our day to day life?
When I was reading Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist, she shared a story of a church that grew exponentially seemingly overnight. The pastor kept insisting that they didn’t do anything different to draw these people in. Another pastor reminded him that they did indeed do something. They put up more chairs. They made space.
This story left me rather perplexed because putting up chairs is such a natural response. Making space is simply what you do. But how often does that same mindset come to play in our daily lives?
Of course you volunteer for this service project. Someone has to help. Of course you can work a few more hours. It needs to be done. Of course you help your friend out. They would do the same for you. And suddenly the schedule is full, perhaps even overfull.
Individually, they can all be good things. That’s what makes this concept of creating space so perplexing. But all good things can be taken too far. Our space can be overfilled, and in the process we get worn down and burnt out. This in turn creates stress, raises the risk of getting sick, and increases irritability. We have limits, and so do our schedules.
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12 NKJV
A few weeks ago when I was feeling a little strung out, I asked a friend if he knew a secret to discovering more time in a day. He jokingly responded, “Of course. Sleep less and drink copious amounts of caffeine.”
It’s funny, but it makes a point. No matter how much we wish there were more hours to a day, we all get the same twenty-four, seven days a week. And when our plans and schedules don’t easily fit into this layout, we have decisions to make because we only have so much space in our lives.
In her book, Niequist said, “For those of us who came of age in the “more is more” mentality, it can be hard to grasp the idea that we have some say over the size of our own lives—that we have the agency and authority and freedom to make them smaller or larger, heavier or lighter.”
This concept is also emphasized in Ephesians 5:15-17 when Paul wrote, 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 (NIV).
As Christians, we are urged to be careful with our time and to make wise decisions. Part of this means being good stewards of our yeses and our nos.
No is not a very popular response for some people. It can feel lazy or irresponsible to say no. It can feel like you’re letting someone down or missing out on an opportunity.
I get it. I struggled with this a lot during my last year in college. For years I said, “After college, I will do this…” And then that last year, I felt God say very clearly that the next year was not mine to plan, that something was going to change and life would never be the same.
After that, every no I said felt like saying never. But at the same time, I couldn’t do more. I had tests to study for, reading to complete, papers to write, and speeches to plan. I had to focus on school. So I said no a lot, but I learned to be very careful with my yeses.
Rather than saying yes to everything, I started saying yes to the things that were priorities for me. I said yes to spending time with my family. I worked ahead so I could go on a family vacation and enjoy the holidays with them. I said yes to attending my writing group and going to a writing conference. I said yes to self-defense classes and discovered great strength.
I made space not just for important things, but for the most important things.
“That’s why knowing your purpose and priorities for a given season is so valuable—because those commitments become the litmus test for all the decisions you face,” said Niequist.
Knowing your priorities helps you make wise decisions. Making wise decisions then leaves you refreshed rather than drained. When you are refreshed by your schedule, you make space for the unexpected. And God specializes in the unexpected.
Looking back, I could have made different decisions that last year of college. I could have extended my graduation plan to make more room to say yes to all those opportunities. But doing so would have meant saying no to much more important things that have since changed my life.
As Niequist put it, “If you’re not careful with your yeses, you start to say no to some very important things without even realizing it.”
If I had said yes to the little things of the season, I would have missed so many bigger things without realizing it. Instead, saying no created space for the unexpected.
In her book The Best Yes, Lysa TerKeurst said, “The decisions we make dictate the schedules we keep. The schedules we keep determine the lives we live. The lives we live determine how we spend our souls. So, this isn’t just about finding time. This is about honoring God with the time we have.”
These decisions, while seemingly simple, are important. Our time on earth is precious. It can be used by God in great and powerful ways, but it is often dictated by our schedule. Thus, our yeses can be good, but so can our nos. Because creating space creates time to care for our souls, freedom to do things that are truly important to us, and room for the unexpected.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” ~ James 4:13-15 NKJV
All is Grace, Esther Noe
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please like, comment, and share! In 2019 I wrote about a poem called Do The Next Thing. You can read it here.
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