Surrendering Time

In one particular chapter of the book Surrender: The Heart God Controls, author Nancy Leigh DeMoss poses a series of questions for several areas that we tend to have trouble fully surrendering to God. The section of questions about surrendering my time really struck me. I think that we all can benefit from being honest with ourselves about how we answer these questions in relation to our time:

-Do I live with the consicous realization that all my time belongs to God, or have I merely reserved a portion of my time for the "spiritual" category of my life?

-Am I living each day in the light of eternity?

-Am I purposeful and intentional in my use of time, seeking to invest the moments of my days in ways that will bring glory to God?

-Do I seek His direction as to how I should use my "free time"?

-Am I squandering time with meaningless, useless conversation or entertainment?

-Do I set apart time each day for worship, prayer, and personal devotion?

-Do I readily respond to opportunities to serve others, even if it means sacrificing "my" time?

-Do I become resentful or impatient when others interrupt my schedule or when I am faced with unplanned demands on my time?

-Do I view my job as an opportunity to serve Christ and bring glory to God?

-Have I considered any possible vocational change the Lord may want me to make to devote more time to the advancement of His kingdom?


I don't know about you, but I find these to be some hard-hitting questions, especially the one about spending time in meaningless conversation or entertainment. Honestly, I had never really considered how much time I waste in pointless conversation that does not serve to build relationships or edify others.

Anyone else struggle to devote their time to God in one way or another?