I muttered a mild complaint about not having enough time to attend a talk by a noted speaker coming to town, and the woman sharing the information with me mildly rebuked me with, “Time is just a concept.”
I knew time was a belief, not a reality, but her comment shook me out of a lie I was momentarily entertaining, the belief that I didn’t have enough time to do what was important to me.
Down underneath, I didn’t really want to attend the talk, but my friend was making it sound so attractive and desirable, that is seemed like I should want to attend. So, rather than being honest and saying, “That sounds like a good talk, but I have other things I’d rather be doing,” I lied and said, “That sounds like a good talk, but I don’t have enough time to attend.”
And the truth hit me squarely in the mental noggin that not having enough time is often used as an excuse, and not a reason, for not doing something.
We have enough time to do what is most important to us. It’s all a matter of priorities. Yes, we can’t do everything. No one can. But we don’t need to. We need to do the most important things.
Jesus Christ outlined a course of action that sorts out priorities and enables us to spend time doing the most important things. He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…”
Seeking spiritual truth, striving for a better understanding of God, and growing in spiritual mindedness should always be the number one priority. Living true to our spirituality matters most above all other things. It keeps one healthy. It brings love, harmony and peace into one’s family. It keeps the other family members healthy. It prospers church, business and social activities. Spiritual peace and love is the route to happy, healthy and prosperous living.
So, when competing activities arise that get us too material focused and too far away from God, we don’t have to make excuses and say, “Oh, I don’t have enough time.” We can be honest and say, “That sounds like a neat activity, but I have other priorities I’m focused on right now.”
We don’t have to justify our actions out loud to others all the time, but it’s a matter of being honest with oneself.
I’ve realized a bit more for myself that I need to quit saying, “I don’t have enough time,” and simply recognize better what my priorities are in life, where my energies and mind-attention needs to stay focused, and be honest about it. When we are not honest, we make poor choices and bad decisions. When we are honest, we see the path before us more clearly, and make better choices.
So, no more excuse-making about time! You DO have enough time to do the most important things. And honestly, there’s just a whole lot of other activities the world would have us get occupied with that often overflows our schedule with too much to do. But when we get our priorities straight, and put God first, we can easily drop some of those distractions and get more balance into our schedule.
This is awesome, Evan. Thank you for being honest with us!
A long time ago I heard a lecturer talk about just this concept of not having enough time during his lecture. He used the definition of time (page 595:17)from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy and added “I don’t have” in front of each segment of the definition: “I don’t have mortal measurements; I don’t have limits…;I don’t have matter; I don’t have error; I don’t have that which begins bfore and continues after….” Interesting isn’t it!
Good one.
It made me think of this idea, which I’m elaborating on in brackets: “Honesty [including with oneself!] is spiritual power. Dishonesty [including with oneself!] is human weakness, which forfeits divine help” (Science and Health, p. 453).
Maybe when we are scrupulously, spiritually honest about everything, we are happily able to accomplish all that God requires of us, in which case we literally lose track of time!
Following God’s prompting to be honest surely leads to eternal (not time-limited) life. Or maybe I should say it is living eternal life, right now!
Dear Evan,
Thank you sooo much for sharing these very helpful ideas! I love this opportunity to learn to be much more honest with myself and others. I also appreciate the helpful comments sent in by others.
“Timely” topic today! The comments giving “how to’s” about working with the suggestions of time and honesty are also helpful—- Thank you all.
Great post, Evan. Also, terrific comments. All very helpful.
I don’t have time for sleep! (As you can see, I’m posting this at 2:42 a.m., getting ready to prepare for work…I’m a teacher.) It seems like the only thing I can cut out is sleep as I have to prepare lessons as well as take care of a busy family. Everywhere on the news I hear how sleep is so important to keep the brain functioning and lack of sleep is detrimental to health. I do stop by often at your site to gain inspiration. Why do people have to sleep anyway? God never sleeps, so why must His reflection? This is what I’m banking on as I make do with a few hours of sleep each night!
Thanks Evan, this is a master piece. Was reading miscelleneous writings, and Mrs Eddy talks about improving our time. Thanks again, we appreciate…!
yes indeed…much gratitude and appreciation for honesty, integrity and Principle!
Appreciate this posting, indeed time can be a slave master, especially my own life. I just don’t want to skip sleeping time anymore as I was so sleepy on my way home last night. Only by the grace and protection of our Father Mother, I and my daughter were safely home.
I should have made a better priority of my routines so as not to skip sleep.