The Gift of Time

Wish you had more time in your day to give to others? The Better Mom contributor, Heidi Jones, encourages us to put aside distractions so we have more time to demonstrate our love for God and others.
~ XO, Ruth

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Would you agree that one of our most precious gifts is time?

Each morning, when I feel the sun’s warmth on my face, every dawn that I stretch to the beautiful sound of a songbird; it is there I receive the incredibly under-appreciated gift of a new day.

A fresh start; to try again, to do better and the goal is never to achieve perfection but improvement.

This revelation caused me to take a long, hard look at my priorities. We pour our time so generously into the things we love, often without thought.

How can I spend hours scrolling through social media and concentrating on my photography, and then deny my daughter a few minutes of interactive play because I don’t have time?

Is it truly an availability of time that’s the problem or my own heart?

Ouch!

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)



When I found this verse, it hurt my heart because there is still so much work to be done there and then this thought entered my mind and completely changed how I view “time”.

If we remove the “i” and the “me” from the word “time”, we are left with the plain old letter “t”. But that letter is not really plain at all! It just happens to make a cross, the very symbol of loving sacrifice. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

Although there are countless things that we have to accomplish, especially as Moms, I realized I had given time a special place in my life, a place reserved for only One.

Choosing what I wanted instead of what He wanted.

Deciding what was important to me instead of what was important to Him.

How do we know what is important to Him?

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

When asked about the greatest commandment, these verses were Jesus’ response; to turn our focus outside of self, to God, then others. What a different message coming at us from all sides right now. A deluge of “YOU’RE worth it!”, “YOU deserve it!” and “do what YOU want?”

Our time is not only a gift for us but also for us to gift!

Isn’t true, selfless love so often expressed in time? Marriage, parenting, pregnancy, nursing, caring for others in need, visiting people, playdates, community events, volunteering – all of these require sacrifice for another.

We do most, what we love most so here is the question – where does the majority of our time go? Watching Netflix, reading the news, exercise, scrolling social media, achieving that next goal or are we pouring into relationships?

Let’s make an effort to adjust our priorities where necessary. Find an accountability partner and start putting the distractions aside so we have more time to demonstrate our love for God and others. I can assure you from experience that when it feels like the greatest sacrifice to say “yes”, His reward for loving others is far greater than pursuing the “i” and “me” by saying “Oh, when I have time.”!

Let’s surrender our time to Him so that we are efficient and wise when spending it.

Before our feet hit the floor in the morning, dedicate each step to His plan for the day.

One final thought; on the seventh day, God himself rested. Rest has a very important place in the Bible so if you find yourself weary, get some! It is impossible for us to pour out from an empty vessel.

Blessings,

Heidi Jones
www.jonesphotography.net