Living a Balanced LifeSample

Using God’s Gift of Time

Time management is not just keeping busy but includes finding God’s focus for you—choosing a direction and moving ahead to accomplish your goals. Managing time is one of the most difficult yet helpful skills a woman can develop. It takes maximum effort and realistic planning.

First, you must acknowledge that you have time—the same amount God has given to everyone. You, with God’s help, must determine how to use your time (Proverbs 3:5-6). You err in letting others decide your priorities and make your schedule (Romans 12:2). Remember that by using small bits of time faithfully, you can accomplish great things (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

The foremost challenge a woman faces is not to orchestrate her life or to plan her year but to order each day, allowing for sufficient rest, proper nourishment and exercise, and a quiet time spent exclusively with the Lord. To focus on what is really important, meaningful time must be assigned for vital relationships, especially with a spouse and children in the home.

The woman of strength arose early to plan for the day’s activities (Proverbs 31:15). Just as she had maidservants, women today have appliances, vehicles, as well as utility and telephone services. These blessings of God are ready to help and serve women in daily, mundane tasks, giving them a maximum amount of time to spend with the Lord and to serve others!

To the Hebrews, a day began in the evening—with rest, family fellowship, as well as study and meditation in God’s Word (Psalm 55:17). Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). One way to do that is to devote the evening hours to quiet rest, reflection, and inner preparing—in other words, to prepare yourself in the evening for the coming day as well as to plan your day’s schedule upon rising in the morning.