Some days go by so quickly that, at the end of it, we can take a deep breath and wonder, “Where did my day go?” What happened? Why did it seem to go by so quickly? Why did everything take so long? Why can I never seem to get done what really needs to get done? Why can’t life just slow down? Can I just resign from life’s responsibilities? (There are other days that d…r…a…g by. I’ll share more about those tomorrow.)
On a particularly busy day recently, I caught myself murmuring “Where did my day go?” under my breath. Before the last word escape my mouth, I gasped it back in. What was I saying?!
If I’m really honest with myself, I never want to ask that question. Even though there’s a question mark at the end of it, it’s really more of a statement than a question. It’s an admission that I didn’t have much control over my day, or at least, I didn’t choose well throughout the day. It teeters on a victim cry of “How could this possibly have happened to me?,” which has a undertone of “I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
Sure, unplanned things happen throughout my days, but I still have a choice in how I respond and handle each one. Sometimes, the unexpected needs immediate attention, and I push other things to the side either temporarily or permanently. They lose their priority. Other times, regardless of what comes along, I stay on task, because the unexpected is more of a distraction than an urgent need. I get to choose each step along the way.
I want to make good choices throughout my day. I don’t have control over all the details, and to imagine I do makes me vulnerable to out of control feelings and responses when something doesn’t go the way I planned or wanted it. And the bottom line is: I don’t want to live life for myself. I want to live it the way God guides. It’s for Him.
He’s the one who gives me the minutes in my day. He’s the one who gives me the moments, either encouraging or frustrating, throughout the day. He’s the one who defines what’s simply a distraction versus what needs attention. He sets the priorities. Basically, He gives me the gift, called today, then He gives me what I need to discern and respond through the day. I think that’s a pretty sweet deal, and I don’t want to squander it. I want to be able to account for all the time He gives me, intentionally spending it, one moment, one opportunity at a time
How about you?
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ecclesiastes 5:15-17)