“Time Well Invested”
What would you say if someone asked you, “who and what are you devoted to?” Of course, all the answers we should say might surface first- God, our family, our jobs. But if we took a step back and really considered where our time is spent, what comes to mind?
Often, we have great intentions for our time and efforts, but we can easily find ourselves falling short amid distractions. Mindlessly scrolling social media, searching deer camera pictures for the trophy, and online shopping are just a few activities my spouse and I have realized rob us of intentional time. The quote, “The key is in not spending time, but in investing in it,” stands tall against in today’s world. When we return to that word devotion and consider who or what we are devoting our time to, it offers opportunity for conviction and change.
Psalms 63:1-4 says, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands.
The enemy will work hard to rob us of God’s gift of meaningful, purposeful, everyday moments and discreetly misalign our devotion to Him. To be devoted means we deny our fleshly desires and personal agendas to offer room for intentional time with Him, as well as our spouse.
Another word to be considered is discernment. We, as believers, should have a discernment of what is healthy for our relationships and what should be kept at a distance. Movies we watch, people we allow to influence us, and habits we begin to form can allow easy access to the enemy’s schemes to plunder guardrails for our marriages. Having discernment offers insight, wisdom and protection before the scheme takes effect. But where does discernment come from and how do we gain it? 2 things.
1. Devoting yourself to reading God’s Word intently, and often.
2. Praying with and for your spouse.
It can become very routine to pray for others, even come alongside others to pray in the moment, but do we offer that same devotion to prayer with our spouses? Consistent prayer and exposure to God’s Word brings an awareness to our blind spots. Learning to decipher God’s Word versus our opinion is gained through devotion to His Word. Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
