Are You Using Your Time—or Wasting It?

This past Sunday, I asked our congregation a question that I believe every one of us needs to sit with this week: Does God control my calendar and my clock?

It's a simple question. But if we're honest, it's one of the most convicting ones we can ask ourselves.

We're in a series on spiritual disciplines — Bible study, worship, prayer, evangelism, service — and this week we turned our attention to stewardship. Specifically, stewardship of our time. Next week we'll talk about our finances, but today I want to focus on what may be our most undervalued resource: the hours and days God has given us.

We All Understand Time — So Why Do We Waste It?

In Romans 13:11-14, the Apostle Paul writes with urgency:

"And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."

Paul isn't writing to people who are clueless about time. He's writing to people who understand time — and still aren't acting on what they know.

That's us. We understand that life has a beginning and an end. We know it's "appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). We've stood at gravesides. We've lost people we love. We know, somewhere deep inside, that our days are numbered.

And yet, as Proverbs 27:1 reminds us: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." James puts it even more plainly: "What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

The problem isn't that we don't understand time. The problem is that we act like we have more of it than we do.

Time Belongs to Him — and So Do We

Ephesians 5:15-17 gives us both a warning and a direction:

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Redeeming the time. That phrase stopped me as I prepared this message. We are to be buying back our time — reclaiming it for God's purposes, not squandering it on things that have no eternal weight.

And here's the deeper truth underneath all of this: as believers, we don't belong to ourselves anymore. The Bible says we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). We've been bought with a price — the precious blood of Jesus. That means our calendar isn't really ours to do with as we please.

The real question isn't "How much of my time should I give to God?" The real question is: Do I belong to him? If the answer is yes, then the calendar follows.

A Wasted Life Is Eternally Wasted

I want to share one passage that I believe captures the gravity of all this. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of a rich man who lived lavishly and a beggar named Lazarus who suffered at his gate. Both men died. The rich man found himself in torment, and from that place he cried out — not for himself, but for his five brothers still living.

"Send Lazarus that he might testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment."

Abraham's answer was sobering: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."

They understood the times. They had access to God's word. And yet they were wasting their days.

A wasted life — whether wasted by delay or by deliberation — is eternally wasted. That truth should change how we wake up tomorrow morning.

Seven Practical Ways to Steward Your Time

As I prepared this message, I kept coming back to the practical. Here's what I encouraged our congregation to consider:

1. Establish a daily schedule that honors Christ. Begin each day asking: how will I honor him with my time today?
2. Tithe your time — give God your first and best. Time is a valuable commodity. Give him the first fruits of your day.
3. Divide your day into larger blocks, prioritizing what matters most: the Lord, family, work, ministry.
4. Practice the "one thing" principle. If there's one important thing that must be done, do it first.
5. Set limits on time wasters. Whether it's social media scrolling or entertainment, be intentional. Time wasted is time lost.
6. Review each day. At the end of the day, honestly ask: did I steward my time well? By God's grace, make adjustments.
7. Establish a Sabbath that honors God and allows for genuine rest.

As I've continued thinking about this throughout the week, I keep returning to Proverbs 16:3: "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." That verse can be a daily prayer: Lord, I commit my works to you today. Establish my thoughts. Use my time for your purposes.

The Closing Question

God is going to hold each of us accountable for the time he has given us. Not your neighbor's time. Not mine. Yours.

So let me close with the same question I opened with: Does he control your calendar and your clock?

If you belong to him, the answer should be yes — and that changes everything about how you spend your Monday, your Tuesday, and every day in between.

I'd encourage you to watch the full sermon if you missed it, and to share this with someone in your life who might need this reminder. And join us next Sunday as we continue this conversation — next week we're talking about stewardship of our finances.