Time management is a continual struggle for me. It’s one of those areas that I can never seem to master. I do, however, grow in it. God continues to grow me in awareness of the things that I can do to manage my time better. In this post, I will share the time management tips that God is currently teaching me.
TIP #1: Humility is Key
This is one of the top lessons that I continually learn as it relates to time management. Humility is key, as it keeps me dependent on the Lord. If I could do it on my own, I would, and you know what else? I’d take the credit. There would be pride there, which would prevent me from giving glory to the One whom rightly deserves it.
God deserves all the credit.
So, wherever you are as it relates to time management, give God the glory and the credit. For He enables you to do what you do, and He will help you to do what you can’t.
TIP #2: Pray
Secondly, we must pray. We must pray for eyes to see the specifics of our struggle. It’s easy to say I’m always running late, or time just isn’t my thing. It’s much harder to pinpoint why. This is where prayer comes in. Pray specifically for God to help you with time management. Ask Him why time is such a challenge for you.
He will show you the specifics. Not only that, He will show you how to do better.
TIP #3: Implement
Thirdly, as God begins to answer your prayers, showing you where you can do better; be ready to implement. This is a big one. Often, God will show us our problem, but we don’t act on what He says. For instance, there are a few things that God has shown me about my time management issues:
– I need to rise early.
– I need to plan weekly.
– There are routines & rules I need to have in place.
These are foundational tips that help me to manage my time more effectively. Lately, here a few other things that God has opened my eyes to:
– I must be flexible & not rigid.
– I can’t allow little things to keep me from big things. You know the little foxes that spoil the vines.
– I can’t be selfish, only thinking about what I want to do.
TIP #4: Trust
Time management for the believer will be different than for the non-believer. You see, the believer will manage time in accordance with all of God’s principles. Whereas the non-believer, will manage time according to the values of the world. God’s principles include the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5. God’s principles will consider the needs of others, not just self. The world’s system, on the other hand, is all about self, success, and accolades.
As it relates to the Christian and time management, we must trust God. We must trust His Word, His will, and His way. We must trust His leading and His value system, even when it goes against our own desires. Christians cannot place time management above relationship management.
TIP #5: Persist
No matter how hard it seems or how short you seem to fall as it relates to time management, persist. Persistence is key. I get it, time management is hard, especially with all of the distractions that come our way. Regardless of how hard it gets or how hard it feels, we can’t give up.
Accept the humility that’s required, pray, implement, trust, and keep moving forward. Know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you [Philippians 4:13].
