The Currency of Time

Currently procrastinating on my to-do list by writing about time management. Oh, the irony!

Okay, but let's get real. I was endlessly scrolling through social media at 11 PM last night (don't judge me, we've all been there), and I had one of those random thought-provoking moments: What if time was literally money? Like, what if every hour that passed actually cost us cold, hard cash? I'd probably be filing for bankruptcy right about now.

But wait, Time IS Money... sort of

Here's the thing—time actually IS our most valuable currency. We just act like we're millionaires when we're really living paycheck to paycheck, time-wise.

The Bible calls us out on this in Psalm 90:12: "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Moses basically said, "God, help us get a reality check because we're clueless about how precious each day is."

And can we talk about how we treat time versus how we treat money? I'll spend twenty minutes researching the best deal on a pair of jeans, but I'll mindlessly binge Facebook for three hours without blinking. Make it make sense.

Our "Time Investment Account"

James 4:14 doesn't sugarcoat it: "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." A MIST, you guys. Not a mountain or a mighty oak tree. Just a mist. Like that breath you see on a cold morning that's gone in two seconds.

I have heard it said that "the days crawl but the years fly." I thought that statement was just a bit dramatic. Now I'm 60-something wondering where the last decade went, and I'm like... that was quite an accurate quote.

Every morning, life drops 86,400 seconds into our account. Rich, poor, young, old—we all get the same daily deposit. The catch? You can't save them up. Use them or lose them.

Paul knew this when he wrote Ephesians 5:15-16: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." He's literally telling us to be smart investors with our time.

So what's a good "investment" versus just blowing our time budget?

Prioritizing time with God: Prayer, reading your Bible, being part of a church community. These things aren't time-wasters; they're investments in our relationship with the One who gave us time in the first place!

Investing in relationships: Showing love and kindness to our family and friends. These are the people God has placed in our lives. Put the phone down. When you're with people, BE with people: eye contact, active listening, the whole nine yards.

Using our gifts and talents: God gives each of us unique abilities. Are we using them to serve others and bring glory to Him?

Being mindful of where our minutes go: Are we scrolling endlessly on social media when we could be doing something more meaningful? No judgment here; guilty as charged sometimes, but it's worth asking ourselves.

Learn the holy art of saying NO. Not everything that screams for your attention deserves it. Your time is precious—guard it like the treasure it is.

It's not about being perfect, time-management gurus. We're all gonna have those days where things feel chaotic. But it's about having an awareness, a consciousness, that time is a gift, and we want to honor God with how we use it... intentionally.

Remember this isn't all there is.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 gives us perspective: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 

The stuff that feels huge right now probably won't matter in a year. But love? Kindness? That stuff echoes forever.

The Bottom Line

Time is the ultimate non-renewable resource. But instead of panicking about it (which, let's be honest, doesn't help anyone), we can rest in this truth from Psalm 31:15: "My times are in Your hands."

God's got this. He's got you. He's got your schedule, your chaos, your perfectly imperfect attempts at making your time count.

You don't have to optimize every second or turn into a productivity robot. You just have to show up, love well, and trust that God can do incredible things with ordinary moments surrendered to Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap. Sometimes it's having an ugly-cry. And sometimes it's experiencing that belly laugh that makes you snort.

It's Your Turn

Tomorrow, hopefully, you will get another 86,400 seconds deposited into your account. What's one small way you want to spend them differently?

Maybe it's putting your phone in another room during dinner. Maybe it's calling that friend you keep meaning to text. Maybe it's just sitting still for five minutes and remembering that you're loved exactly as you are. Whatever it is, remember: you're not just killing time—you're investing in eternity.

And now, I'm literally going to practice what I preach and close this laptop to embrace my neglected workout regimen. Because apparently maintaining His temple, this body, that's kingdom work too. Who knew?

So, tell me: What's your biggest time-waster? And more importantly, what's one thing you do that makes time feel well-spent? Drop a comment—I'm genuinely curious!