“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” ~ Ephesians 5:15–16

This morning on Running to Win (5 AM CST on KHCB), a message from Dr. Erwin Lutzer prompted us to think more deeply about something every one of us has in equal measure: time.

Did you know that each of us receives 1,440 minutes every day? We can save money and replace possessions, but once a minute has passed, we simply can’t get it back. That makes how we spend our time more than a question about productivity. For followers of Christ, it’s really a spiritual question.

So instead of simply asking, “How can I get more done?” perhaps we should ask, “Am I using the time God has given me for what matters most?”

Here are five questions we put together for all of us to consider.

1. What is getting the best of my time?

Our calendars will often reveal our priorities more accurately than our intentions. We say that God, family and relationships matter, but do the ways we spend our time truly reflect that?

Take a moment and look over your last week. What received your best time, attention and energy?

2. What is consuming time without giving much in return?

Not everything that fills our time deserves our time.

A few minutes scrolling can become half an hour before we know it! Notifications and entertainment can quietly consume hours we never intentionally chose to give them. Nonetheless, they’re still gone with not much value having been created from them.

Sometimes redeeming the time begins not by adding something new, but by removing something that no longer deserves so much of our attention.

3. Am I making time to hear from God?

Paul tells us to “walk as children of light.” We cannot expect to walk faithfully with God while rarely making time to listen to Him.

We often look back at the lives of the ‘spiritual giants’ of Scripture, like David, and want the same type of relationship and impact they had for God and in the world. Could it be, though, that a ‘secret’ to their ‘success’ had more to do with availability than ability? To their ‘posture’ before God rather than their plans and promises made to Him? In Psalm 5:3, David says – “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” (NLT) Every morning, David made time for the Lord. Space for God to teach, reach, convict, instruct, and lead this man after God’s own heart.

It doesn’t require an elaborate routine. It may begin with protecting a few minutes for Scripture and prayer and asking: “Lord, how do You want me to walk today?” Either way, it’s a necessity for living a life that lifts up the Lord and uplifts others along the way.

4. Who needs some of my time?

Time is one of the most meaningful gifts we can give another person!

Maybe it’s an uninterrupted conversation with your spouse, time with a child, a phone call to a parent, encouragement for a friend or simply noticing someone who needs to be seen.

Redeeming our time isn’t only about accomplishing more. It’s also about loving people well and being present and available for God to do a work through you and into someone’s life.

5. If I keep living this way, who will I become?

Imagine continuing your current habits and priorities for another year. Who would you become?

Now imagine a few intentional changes: more time in God’s Word, less time distracted by a screen, greater attention to the people you love and more willingness to follow God’s leading.

Small choices repeated every day can shape an entirely different life and lead you to a life of great impact in, through, and for Him.

Redeeming Today

You have 1,440 minutes today. You don’t have to use every one perfectly. No one does. But you can receive them gratefully and use them as wisely as possible.

Ephesians 5 doesn’t simply challenge us to become better time managers. It calls us to become wise followers of Jesus who recognize that our days, and the opportunities within them, belong to God.

So perhaps this is the question to carry with us today:

What would it look like for me to redeem the time God has given me?

Today’s reflection was inspired by Dr. Erwin Lutzer’s message “Managing Our Time – Part 1” heard this morning on Running to Win at 5 AM CST on KHCB. Listen to the full program on KHCB On Demand.