Wasted Time

Time is one of your most valuable commodities and how you spend it determines what your life will be. You can either waste it, invest it or give it away. David Khali

I spend much of my life doing all kinds of good activities, but lately I've challenged myself about how much of my time is wasted.

Here are some things that I am working on so I don't waste time or that I will spend time doing. Your list may be different.

1. Curtailing Social Media

This is probably my biggest one. I find myself spending lots of time scrolling and commenting. I have justified it by saying that I am only spending a few minutes here or there on it, but those few minutes add up to hours. So a couple of ways I'm working on cutting back is by deleting the Facebook app from my phone. I also have been posting only once or maybe twice a day. I also limit how much time I spend on this each day.

2. Stop being pulled in too many directions

I do many things, and I love it. God has given me a high energy capacity for many things. But have been feeling the need to focus on my main calling that the Lord has given me. So this past month I made the decision to close down my sewing business. I looked at what I earn compared to how much money is spent, as well as how much time was spent, I really was losing money. So this month I closed down my Etsy shop, shut down my business Facebook page and pulled my things from the local store. If I sew or craft at this point it will just be for gifts or the pleasure of it.

3. Spend time digging into God's word

The past year has been a time of self-reflection and allowing the Lord to bring to light wounds of the past and then begin the healing process. It has been a time of dealing with some areas that I need to turn over to God. I've been stretched and challenged in ways I haven't been before. It has hurt, but it's been good.

I have been spending a lot of time in His word and in prayer as I've worked through these things. Spending time with the Lord is never wasted time.

4. Spending time in Nature

Where I find much of my inspiration for writing, as well as hearing from the Lord is when I'm able to get out in nature. That has been difficult this past year because of injuring my knee last summer. It's also been difficult this spring because the weather just isn't wanting to cooperate.

However, whenever I can and as long as I walk a fairly slow pace and don't go too far, I've been able to get out and walk. I can only go about 1 1/2 miles before my knee starts to act up, but I am thrilled that I have been able to walk a bit.

5. Stop comparing.

Another thing I'm working on not wasting time on is comparing myself to others. I'm generally happy with my personality and how the Lord has wired me, but every so often comparison starts to slip in. This generally happens when I'm around someone who doesn't seem to approve of me. Then I start feeling like I should be more like so and so. God created me with my personality, talents and He has also given me the spiritual gifts I have, so I'm going to stop apologizing for who I am. Instead I want to be the best me that I can be!

There are so many things in our lives that can become time wasters. We only have so much time on this earth and I want to use the limited time I have to bring glory to God. I'm not sure those things I waste time on will do that so I'm working hard at making some changes.