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Making Time for What Matters Most: The Priority Principle
We live in a world obsessed with time. We rush through our days, cramming appointments and obligations into every available slot on our calendars. "There aren't enough hours in the day," we say, as we collapse exhausted into bed each night. But what if the problem isn't the amount of time we have, but rather how we've chosen to prioritize it?
Here's an uncomfortable truth: we always make time for what truly matters to us. Always.
Think about it. How quickly do you find time to stop for your favorite coffee? How many hours disappear while scrolling through social media or binge-watching the latest series? We're not as time-starved as we claim—we're priority-confused.
The Worry Trap
Jesus addressed this very issue in Matthew 6:28-34, pointing to the flowers of the field that neither labor nor spin, yet are clothed in splendor surpassing even Solomon's glory. His message cuts through our anxiety: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."
Worry is one of our greatest time-wasters. We spend countless hours fretting over bills, schedules, relationships, and responsibilities—things often beyond our control. Each moment spent worrying is a moment stolen from purposeful living. It's time we'll never recover.
But there's a deeper issue at play. When we worry incessantly about provision, we reveal something about our faith. Do we truly trust that God will provide? If we believed He would handle our needs, worry would lose its grip on our schedules and our souls.
The First Things First Principle
The remedy Jesus offers is revolutionary: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
Seek first. Not second. Not third. Not somewhere in the top ten. First.
This isn't just spiritual advice—it's practical time management wisdom. When God occupies the primary position in our lives, everything else finds its proper place. Our relationships improve. Our work becomes more fulfilling. Our stress decreases. Our time somehow expands.
Consider your typical day. If you were to honestly rank your priorities—not what you say they are, but what your actual time allocation reveals—where would God appear on that list? Below work? Below entertainment? Below personal comfort?
The challenge isn't that we don't care about God. Most of us genuinely do. The problem is that we've allowed other things—even good things—to crowd Him out of His rightful position.
Living with Intention
Ephesians 5:15-16 urges us: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity." This is a call to intentional living, to moving through our days with purpose rather than simply reacting to whatever comes our way.
When we live reactively, we're constantly in crisis mode, responding to the urgent rather than focusing on the important. But when we live intentionally with God as our priority, we become proactive. We're prepared for the unexpected questions, the divine appointments, the opportunities to demonstrate love and share hope.
This intentionality transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities. That trip to the grocery store becomes a chance to encourage a weary cashier. That difficult conversation at work becomes an opportunity to display patience and grace. That unexpected delay becomes a moment to practice trust.
The Strategic Life
In Luke 14:28-33, Jesus tells stories about a builder and a king, both of whom must count the cost before beginning their endeavors. The builder must ensure he has resources to complete his tower. The king must assess whether his forces can prevail in battle.
The lesson? Plan ahead. Be strategic. Live with foresight.
This doesn't mean controlling every detail or eliminating spontaneity. Rather, it means approaching life with a clear understanding of our ultimate purpose. When we know our mission—to glorify God and make Him known—we can evaluate opportunities, set boundaries, and make decisions that align with that mission.
Strategic living means asking: "Will this move me closer to or further from my primary purpose?" It means being willing to say no to good things so we can say yes to the best things.
Redeeming the Time
Colossians 4:5-6 encourages us to "be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." The Greek word for "making the most" carries the idea of redeeming or buying back time.
Every moment is valuable currency. The question is: what are we purchasing with it?
When we fritter away hours on mindless activities while claiming we have no time for prayer, Bible reading, or meaningful relationships, we're making a statement about our values. We're spending our time-currency on things that ultimately don't satisfy or endure.
But when we redeem our time—when we invest it in eternal priorities—we discover something remarkable: we actually have more of it. Not literally more hours, but more effective, fulfilling, purposeful time.
The Multitasking Myth and Reality
There's wisdom in learning to multitask appropriately. Listening to Scripture while preparing breakfast. Praying during your commute. Discussing spiritual truths during family meals. These aren't shortcuts—they're ways of weaving God into the fabric of ordinary life.
However, multitasking has limits. Some things demand our full attention. Prayer shouldn't always be squeezed into the margins. Scripture deserves more than distracted glances. Relationships require presence, not divided attention.
The key is discernment—knowing when to focus deeply and when to integrate spiritual practices into daily routines.
The Ripple Effect
Here's something crucial to understand: when you reprioritize your life with God at the center, it affects everything and everyone around you. Your family will notice. Your coworkers will see the difference. Some may be inspired; others may feel uncomfortable.
This is normal. When light enters darkness, there's always adjustment. When you begin living counter-culturally—prioritizing eternal things over temporal ones—you challenge the status quo simply by your example.
But remember: if God is truly first, you won't love your family less—you'll love them better. You won't work less effectively—you'll work with greater purpose. You won't have less joy—you'll have joy that circumstances can't steal.
The Honest Assessment
The most important question isn't what you tell others about your priorities. It's what your calendar and your choices reveal about them.
God already knows where He ranks in your life. The question is: do you?
It's never too late to reprioritize. Today can be the day you decide that God moves from wherever He currently sits on your priority list to the very top. Not as a religious obligation, but as a life-giving choice that transforms everything else.
When God is first, time becomes less of a tyrant and more of a gift. When God is first, we discover that we've been given exactly enough time for what truly matters.
The question isn't whether you have time for God. The question is whether God has first place in the time you've been given.
We live in a world obsessed with time. We rush through our days, cramming appointments and obligations into every available slot on our calendars. "There aren't enough hours in the day," we say, as we collapse exhausted into bed each night. But what if the problem isn't the amount of time we have, but rather how we've chosen to prioritize it?
Here's an uncomfortable truth: we always make time for what truly matters to us. Always.
Think about it. How quickly do you find time to stop for your favorite coffee? How many hours disappear while scrolling through social media or binge-watching the latest series? We're not as time-starved as we claim—we're priority-confused.
The Worry Trap
Jesus addressed this very issue in Matthew 6:28-34, pointing to the flowers of the field that neither labor nor spin, yet are clothed in splendor surpassing even Solomon's glory. His message cuts through our anxiety: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."
Worry is one of our greatest time-wasters. We spend countless hours fretting over bills, schedules, relationships, and responsibilities—things often beyond our control. Each moment spent worrying is a moment stolen from purposeful living. It's time we'll never recover.
But there's a deeper issue at play. When we worry incessantly about provision, we reveal something about our faith. Do we truly trust that God will provide? If we believed He would handle our needs, worry would lose its grip on our schedules and our souls.
The First Things First Principle
The remedy Jesus offers is revolutionary: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
Seek first. Not second. Not third. Not somewhere in the top ten. First.
This isn't just spiritual advice—it's practical time management wisdom. When God occupies the primary position in our lives, everything else finds its proper place. Our relationships improve. Our work becomes more fulfilling. Our stress decreases. Our time somehow expands.
Consider your typical day. If you were to honestly rank your priorities—not what you say they are, but what your actual time allocation reveals—where would God appear on that list? Below work? Below entertainment? Below personal comfort?
The challenge isn't that we don't care about God. Most of us genuinely do. The problem is that we've allowed other things—even good things—to crowd Him out of His rightful position.
Living with Intention
Ephesians 5:15-16 urges us: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity." This is a call to intentional living, to moving through our days with purpose rather than simply reacting to whatever comes our way.
When we live reactively, we're constantly in crisis mode, responding to the urgent rather than focusing on the important. But when we live intentionally with God as our priority, we become proactive. We're prepared for the unexpected questions, the divine appointments, the opportunities to demonstrate love and share hope.
This intentionality transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities. That trip to the grocery store becomes a chance to encourage a weary cashier. That difficult conversation at work becomes an opportunity to display patience and grace. That unexpected delay becomes a moment to practice trust.
The Strategic Life
In Luke 14:28-33, Jesus tells stories about a builder and a king, both of whom must count the cost before beginning their endeavors. The builder must ensure he has resources to complete his tower. The king must assess whether his forces can prevail in battle.
The lesson? Plan ahead. Be strategic. Live with foresight.
This doesn't mean controlling every detail or eliminating spontaneity. Rather, it means approaching life with a clear understanding of our ultimate purpose. When we know our mission—to glorify God and make Him known—we can evaluate opportunities, set boundaries, and make decisions that align with that mission.
Strategic living means asking: "Will this move me closer to or further from my primary purpose?" It means being willing to say no to good things so we can say yes to the best things.
Redeeming the Time
Colossians 4:5-6 encourages us to "be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." The Greek word for "making the most" carries the idea of redeeming or buying back time.
Every moment is valuable currency. The question is: what are we purchasing with it?
When we fritter away hours on mindless activities while claiming we have no time for prayer, Bible reading, or meaningful relationships, we're making a statement about our values. We're spending our time-currency on things that ultimately don't satisfy or endure.
But when we redeem our time—when we invest it in eternal priorities—we discover something remarkable: we actually have more of it. Not literally more hours, but more effective, fulfilling, purposeful time.
The Multitasking Myth and Reality
There's wisdom in learning to multitask appropriately. Listening to Scripture while preparing breakfast. Praying during your commute. Discussing spiritual truths during family meals. These aren't shortcuts—they're ways of weaving God into the fabric of ordinary life.
However, multitasking has limits. Some things demand our full attention. Prayer shouldn't always be squeezed into the margins. Scripture deserves more than distracted glances. Relationships require presence, not divided attention.
The key is discernment—knowing when to focus deeply and when to integrate spiritual practices into daily routines.
The Ripple Effect
Here's something crucial to understand: when you reprioritize your life with God at the center, it affects everything and everyone around you. Your family will notice. Your coworkers will see the difference. Some may be inspired; others may feel uncomfortable.
This is normal. When light enters darkness, there's always adjustment. When you begin living counter-culturally—prioritizing eternal things over temporal ones—you challenge the status quo simply by your example.
But remember: if God is truly first, you won't love your family less—you'll love them better. You won't work less effectively—you'll work with greater purpose. You won't have less joy—you'll have joy that circumstances can't steal.
The Honest Assessment
The most important question isn't what you tell others about your priorities. It's what your calendar and your choices reveal about them.
God already knows where He ranks in your life. The question is: do you?
It's never too late to reprioritize. Today can be the day you decide that God moves from wherever He currently sits on your priority list to the very top. Not as a religious obligation, but as a life-giving choice that transforms everything else.
When God is first, time becomes less of a tyrant and more of a gift. When God is first, we discover that we've been given exactly enough time for what truly matters.
The question isn't whether you have time for God. The question is whether God has first place in the time you've been given.
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