Where's the Fruit?

Yesterday I had breakfast with a dear friend of mine. We talked about the Lord’s activity in our lives, sharing joys and struggles in our journeys. She passed along an interesting challenge she received:

“Write down all your activities – where you choose to invest your time – and the fruit for each one.”

Sobering thought. Do I even consciously know all the activities I do? I recently realized I had un-accounted-for time at work – I’d get to the end of an 8 hour day and only see 6.5 hours logged. And not just in this case, but how many times do I ask myself, “Wow, where did the time go?”

So I decided to take the challenge. Being the analyst that I am, I thought about how I would categorize my activities. Here are a few questions I asked myself as I made my list.

• Does it recharge my soul? 
• Does it support my physical self?  
• Does it feed my spirit?  
• Does it build relationships? 
• Does it drain my energy? 
• Does it suck me in to want more and more?  

Last question: Does it really matter how we choose to spend our time? Paul answers that nicely in Ephesians 5:15-17:

Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. (AMP)

Where we choose to spend our time matters because God says it does. He created us to bear fruit, fruit that will last into eternity.

Unlike other resources God gives us to invest where not all are given the same amount, we all have the same amount of time: 24 hours in every day. Our time is a talent – something we can invest – like described in this excerpt from Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary:

Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they daily sacrifice it! People are very apt to complain of bad times; it were well if that stirred them more to redeem time. Be not unwise. Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of our souls, show the greatest folly.

Our time is God's. We were bought with a price and we belong to Him. All we have, all we are, and all we choose to do – what we choose to do with our time – belongs to God.

If you lack peace and joy and the nearness of God in your life, look at where you choose to invest your time. I encourage you to sit with the Lord and make your own personal list of questions, then take this challenge. Day by day, resolve to be more intentional with your time. Choose to invest wisely so you can hear these words from your Father: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. (Galatians 6:9, AMP)