Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-led Decision MakingSample

Discernment with Time

My mom always told me that we “make time for what’s important to us.” I always believed this simple phrase, but the older I get, the more it makes sense. When we say that there are things we do not have time for, it is never a matter of not actually having the minutes or hours, but it means we made other things more of a priority! 

How would you rank these things on your priority scale (if they apply)? Family, Work, God, Hobbies, Children, Church, and Spouse.

If God is not number one on your list, your list is wrong, bottom line. This does not mean that work and family are not important. Quite the contrary, only by God being the number one priority in your life are you able to fully and properly devote yourself to all the other things on the list. A husband or father filled with the Holy Spirit and in communion with God throughout the day is able to be the man he is called to be for his family and lead them properly. Knowing that we do not have unlimited time, it is all about a matter of priority. 

Too often, we rely on our feelings to prioritize our time and decisions. If we don’t “feel” like exercising, we sit on the couch. If we don’t “feel” like eating right, we grab fast food. If we don’t “feel” like spending time with our children, we go see a movie. Feelings are terrible catalysts for discernment. We need to follow through on what we know is right instead of listening to our feelings. Don’t let your feelings control your faith.

Proverbs 16:3 tells us to “commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” We need to incorporate routines into our life that help us achieve our goals. 

Find what works for you and your routines. Ideally, if you can find time to set apart from the noise around you where you can meditate on the Bible, then make it happen. Many times, we think that time with God has to look a certain way. However, consider that the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). We can take time during our day to pray, stop, and pray again later. 

Having discernment with our time we can cognitively, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, decide in advance where we should spend time daily based on what is a priority in our life. 

Where have you not been spending enough time in an area that you would consider a priority? 

What are some practical steps that you can spend more time in the above area?