At each stage in life, we find that our time is more and more valuable, understanding that any remaining time is ultimately precious. There are things I must do that stretch my time relatively thin. After I do those things, I intentionally leave time for myself to make sure I can then do the things I want to do, too.

But the dangerous trap in meticulously planning my day is I make God just that — a plan. I live in the world he created, breathing in the air he formed through the lungs he gave me, yet I only give him a portion of my time. (And, if I’m being honest, it’s a small portion, at that.)

Why are we content making God just part of our plans when he holds perfect direction for our entire lives?

Because we’re selfish.

I have many aspects of my life I ensure that I make time for. I visit a coffee shop each morning before work, tweet about sports for a living, and buy tickets for the newest Star Wars film two months in advance. Most of my time and energy is spent towards things that don’t directly bring me closer to Christ. This plan results in spending whatever time is left on the fruits of the spirit, but I’m often too tired by then and I just endlessly peruse Twitter instead.

Thankfully, we serve a compassionate God. We serve a God who, despite our constant misuse of time and personal resources, loves us anyway and spends eternity in pursuit of his children.

Because of this, we can decide to change how we use our time.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
— Matthew 6: 19–21

I love this passage. It’s convicting and full of hope. We should be wary of living lives based around earthly matters that are eventually meaningless. We should also be full of celebration because we have space in heaven for us where we will encounter eternal treasure in a seat at the right hand of God.

Because of the love of Christ, we can stop and start.

We can stop looking to fit God in like he’s a meeting to be slotted into our schedules, and start living lives that reflect the sacrifice he endured for us and the glory we’re to give to him in return. When we can live with this sort of clarity, we won’t struggle to “find time for God” anymore, opting instead to give our time to God for him to allocate as he sees fit.