Sometimes we reach the end of the day and exclaim “Where did my day go?” (and I covered that topic yesterday), but many times we wonder if the day will ever end because of what we face throughout it. Yet, the years fly by. I’ve had many conversations with young moms who can’t believe their children are starting to walk, tie their shoes, beginning school, trying out for a sports team, or graduating from high school. However, we all agree there are days that we think will never end. We’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated, and we just want to go to bed and start again the next day! The years fly, but the days d…r…a…g.

Logically, it makes no sense. If we have days that drag, and those days make up a year, shouldn’t it seem the year drags, too?

How can we slow down the years so we can savor them but speed up the days so we can survive them?

We can’t.

It’s true. We don’t control time. We can’t make more, and we can’t eliminate it. We can waste it or use it well. We can savor it or dread it. We can manage it but can’t control it. We can steward it well…or not.

You don’t have to reflect on the years and wonder where they went, how they slipped by as if they escaped from you. You might not remember every single moment, but when you commit to savoring the moments as you have them right in front of you, it won’t really matter whether time flies or drags. You can choose to live life instead of giving time so much control.

The time you have is a gift. It might not always feel that way, which might be because (1) you waste so much of it that you create pressures with what remains, or (2) life isn’t always smooth sailing. God gives you time, but He doesn’t promise all the decisions you make about it and all the moments you spend it it will be easy. In fact, He says the opposite: “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:30)

Focus less on the balance sheet of what you’re gaining or losing, remembering or forgetting, acquiring or relinquishing. Instead, focus on what God had planned for you right here, right now. Take the next step. You might feel as if you’ve lost a significant portion of your race or that you’ll never reach the finish line. You might be bored with where you are and just want to know what’s ahead. You might want to start again. And in a sense, you can. Take a step. Go at God’s pace. It’s not about whether the turtle or the hare wins; it’s about finishing well.

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2)