How Can We Make Our Days Count Before Jehovah? - Use Time WIsely

Use Time Wisely

Wise use of our time will also help us to make our days count before Jehovah.  Unlike money that can be saved, time must be spent, or it will be lost.  Every hour that passes is gone forever.  Since there is always more to do than we can handle, are we spending our time in line with our objective in life?  A major objective of all Christians should be regular participation  in the Kingdom preaching and disciple-making work. -Matthew 2r4:14; 28:19, 20.

Wise use of our time comes only after we are keenly aware of it value.  Aptly, Ephesians 5:16 urges us to 'buy out the opportune time for ourselves,' and this implies "purchasing" it, forgoing less important things.  It means reducing  time-wasting pursuits.  Too much television viewing or surfing of the internet, reading of unprofitable secular material, or the excessive pursuit of recreation and entertainment can leave us exhausted.  Additionally, an inordinate accumulation of material possessions can consume the time needed to acquire a heart of wisdom.

Advocates of careful time management say:  "It is impossible to make good use of your time without  a set of well-defined goals."  They suggest five criteria for setting goals: specific,measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed.

One worthwhile goal is to improve in our Bible reading.  The first step is to make our goal specific-to read the entire Bible.  The next step is to make our goal measurable.  By doing this, we can chart our progress.  Goals should make us stretch and grow.  They must also be achievable and realistic.  Personal abilities, skills, and available time must be taken into consideration.  For some, more   time may be required  to accomplish the goal.  Finally, our goal needs to be times.  Setting a date for accomplishing something may well increase motivation to get it done.

All members of the global Bethel family, who serve at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses or at one of its branches, worldwide , have a specific goal to read the entire Bible during their first year at Bethel.  They realize that profitable Bible reading contributes to their spiritual growth and to a closer relationship with Jehovah, who is teaching them  to benefit themselves.  (Isaiah 48:17)  Can we make regular Bible reading our goal as well?

Next time: How Can We Make Our Days Count Before Jehovah? -Benefits of Making Our Days Count

The Watchtower, 2002