Perhaps You're Wasting Time--Or Maybe You're Not

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; put on your new nature, created to be like God--truly righteous and holy."   ... Ephesians 4:23,24

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Goodreads! Perfect for lovers-of-list-making (like me) and you know what I've noticed? Almost never do I read/finish books I don't like.

And yet? I've known women who actually feel guilty if they don't slog through a book (especially if they paid for it) even if it proves to be dull/wordy/risque. (Unfortunately, I know women who feel guilty about nearly everything.)

Come on, Folks. Life is far too short and Earth is crammed with better, change-your-life books! 

So please, set the not-for-you book down and either 1.) try again when you're in a different mood or 2.) return it to the library or donate it to a shop where someone can celebrate her wonderful find (sow the money you spent 'upon the water and it will come back to you'. I know this.). Or--as I've done thrice--if a book surprised you with what this verse hints at:


"For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret."   ... Ephesians 5:12


-- just toss it into your recycling bin so you'll not spread its words.

Seriously-- there comes a time, a decade, for each of us to finally become bold. Decisive, knowing what God wants us to do--then taking steps to do it. And to stop being wishy-washy-silly. You know, like this:


"... one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."   ... James 1:8


To me? Reading books which don't hold my attention is an example of wasting time.

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Speaking of wasting time, oooooo... I know (and know of) many people who would accuse me of wasting away my whole life. Why? Because most of my days/weeks you'll see me--

straightening my house
reading at our dining area table
commenting/sharing posts at Facebook
relaxing at the coffee shop, drinking coffee or chocolate
writing in this blog
taking walks (started back up only lately)
sitting on our front porch, reading, staring at the river (in good weather)
watching tv

But hey, go peeking hurriedly on just the surface of anything and we come away, clueless.

We can straighten our house 'as unto the Lord' and who wants to make Him cringe by our living in filth/not being a good example, anyway? And reading books can help us become better people, even in tiny ways, and sitting at a sunny table can keep winter blues far distant.

Facebook is a dream-come-true for encouragers. I mean, have you wanted to be a minister, yet thought if you weren't like Billy Graham, it didn't count? Think again. Facebook is a hotbed of hurting, think-God's-mad-at-them, lonely souls. (So stay eagle-eyed.)

Of course, we can walk into a coffee shop like a zombie and drink and think nothing, zzzzzzz. Or we can sit and pray that this business will prosper, always be there and that all who step inside will suddenly feel a deep yearning for God, Himself. (And hey, we can buy someone's coffee for them.)

We can share God and our heart in a blog. We can prayer-walk our neighborhood--

--or invite others to sit on our front porch with us or pray for neighborhood revival. And we can watch tv, good shows, while feeling the very presence of God beside us, healing and teaching us, with gratitude circling, swirling.

With our limited eyes only, we view so little. Longing to see the way God's eyes do, keeps us humble and more compassionate. Patient.

The real time wasters, imo? Those hours, months of guilt, fear, timidity, arguing, not forgiving and regret. And trying to grasp what has gone away forever, killing the growth God imagined for us.

May we seek to know God better so that we waste time, less.

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"How much time are you spending thinking about what that person said about you at the office, stressed out over that thing you read on social media, trying to straighten out that friend that made you look bad? You don’t have time to waste on all that pettiness. It’s not between you and your destiny. It’s a distraction. You have a defender. God said He will protect your reputation. Let that go in one ear and out the other and use that energy to move toward your God-given dreams."   ---Joel Osteen


"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."   ... Galations 5:1

"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."     ....  2 Corinthians 9:6


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Oh! Did you see this Billy Graham tribute? Purely awesome. Wow.


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