Is Time Valuable?

We may understand the value of many things, but do we truly understand the value of time? As we live in a world where what we have stands head and shoulders above so many things, have we forgotten how to experience and protect our time? Have we forgotten that things can be replaced, but time is a finite resource?

To everything there is a season… what will we do with the season of time God has given us?

Value. What Makes Something Valuable?

While everyone’s list of what would be counted as valuable varies, there are often overlapping themes.

• Joy is valuable.
• Relationships are valuable.
• Purpose is valuable.
• And many more…

As Believers, we would add in ‘Faith’ and other Godly traits, along with ‘Relationship with God.’ But what about more contentious things people value? Things that can be used for good or evil depending on how they are put in motion… things such as money or time?

Money is a tool, whose value and use is determined primarily by those who use it. But it is not irreplaceable. Lose a dollar and often another can replace it, be it through work, inheritance, or another avenue. 

And while many people dislike witnessing abundance in others, money in itself is not evil. It is only the love of money or of the things it can be exchanged for that perverts this tool. Money can be just as easily used for Kingdom purposes as it can for anything else…

Yet, more valuable than money and too often ignored is another area of contention; one where the tool can be utilized for good or evil. That is time!

But how is time so valuable? Why do we need to protect our time?

Let’s look at time as if it were something we consume, like a product on store shelves… 

When something is in high demand but has a limited supply or quantity, typically the value to consumers will rise, whether in cost or the desire to have it. For example, take the recent runs on toilet paper in America or on long shelf life foods in other countries around the world. These products have had a decent level of demand for decades, but typically that level fluctuated little because the use did not change. Until “crisis,” real or imagined, occurred…

Suddenly the demand skyrockets when fear takes over. And while people did not NEED more of the products in question, they still WANTED more of the products than they would use! Demand was high, but production of the products could not meet demand… this increased the value of the product even when the price did not reflect that increase. 

Many people had to do without because demand was greater than the supply. And while having some extra toilet paper or food on hand is not necessarily bad, the amounts that some people bought means that they will likely have this ‘investment’ for years to come. What is more, the supply will likely overtake demand again and cost will go down long before the stockpiles are used up…

By using this analogy, we can see that TIME also is a product in high demand but with limited production. But unlike the examples above, just waiting for a larger production run is not an option. Before we were born God knew how long we would have on earth. Our time is set, and even if God extends it as He did with Hezekiah, it still has its limits. It is a valuable resource, necessary, limited in quantity, and special. But we would hardly know it considering how often we misuse it…

Protecting Time

Of the resources provided us during our stay on earth, time is one of the most precious…

It is through time that many of the things we value are made available to us. From relationships with God, family, friends, coworkers, etc., to tools of education that allow us to fulfill all God has planned for us. Each of these typically need a decent length of time to bring them to pass. But we do not always understand this…

Yes, God can do these things in an instant through His mighty power… but there are many reasons why He does not always choose to. And often this can be pinpointed to one thing: we are simply not ready. To prosper in a new level, our behavior, thoughts, etc., have to be basically on that same level. 

God could easily take us from the base of a mountain to the top, but if we have not been acclimated—developed the character, views, and other necessary qualities—then the top of the mountain would not see us thrive… it would kill us. 

Just like climbing Mt. Everest takes time to prepare for the climb and then to acclimate to the new heights along the way, our spiritual journey requires the same things…

We need time to succeed!

However, while time is valuable, many Believers sadly misuse their time, as well as the time of others. And while not always done maliciously, this does nothing to bring God’s Kingdom to earth…

Time is a gift from God! As Believers we need to be able to use our time better than those in the world. Yet, this is rarely the case and too often it is those in the world—who do not follow God—who manage their time best. But this does not have to be! 

We can use the time God has given us wisely. We can protect our time as a gift from God, honoring Him as we do. We can protect the time of others by treating it as it is… God’s time! 

Yet, what this time looks like can vary from season to season. There are quiet seasons where God has us do very little in the eyes of man but is actually preparing us to journey higher up His Mountain! And there are seasons where stopping to rest ourselves never seems to be an option…

But in every season God is with us. He will guide us and show us where to put our time. And all we need to do is the little thing… the prayer thing of asking Him to guide us, the praise thing of shifting our perspective, the fellowship thing of restoring our focus. These little things allow God to do the big thing of taking us higher… guiding our time, tasks, and activities.

By listening to Holy Spirit within us we can understand how to use time and how to protect it! We can know what season we are in and what that means. We can understand when we need to say yes and when we need to say no. And we can know when we need to stand back and give someone space—protecting their God-given time—and when we need to step forward to get or give of their time.

The key is listening to Holy Spirit, understanding the value and gift of time, and acting on what Holy Spirit tells us… no matter if He is telling us to stand still or to run! 

We need to align with God’s timing. We need to climb His Mountain as He leads, not as we want… knowing He will let us ascend in His own good and perfect time! We need to trust His seasons!

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:”

—Ecclesiastes 3:1