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How to Experience God’s Wonder by Managing Your Time Well
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- Updated Aug 21, 2023
Wonderful experiences with God are waiting for you to discover them. But you can easily miss them if you’re too busy, exhausted, or distracted to notice God’s work around you. That’s why it’s important to make wonder a high priority in your schedule.
There’s much more to life than your daily routines and responsibilities. Don’t let the demands of your daily tasks take over your schedule because that feels like the most responsible or practical choice. You’ll significantly limit your quality of life if you limit your focus only to your tasks without looking beyond them for greater meaning. Chores and errands aren’t enough in themselves to inspire you. Your soul craves wonder, which you can find by living with purpose. Ultimately, it won’t matter if you catch up with your laundry or clear your email inbox. The time you invest in pursuing wonder, however, will grow your relationship with God. That has eternal value. Wonder is neither irresponsible nor impractical to pursue. Wonder may sometimes feel frivolous because it’s fun, but it has a serious purpose. Wonder shows you more about God and inspires you to move closer to him. So, choose to manage your time in ways that prioritize wonder. Don’t feel guilty about including wonder in your schedule whenever possible. It’s well worth making time for wonder every day!
Key Bible Verses about Managing Your Time Well
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12
“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” – Romans 13:11
“This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” – Ephesians 5:15-17
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:33-34
“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.” – Psalm 39:4-5
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9
“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:17
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Tips to Help You Manage Your Time Well
Make more time to enjoy wonder in your life. Use these tips to help you manage your time well:
Pay attention to the present. Each moment you live is a simple yet profound gift from God. As much as possible, stop multitasking and focus on just one task at a time. Whenever you’re communicating with God or other people, be fully present in the conversations.
Welcome schedule interruptions for divine appointments. Don’t hesitate to interrupt your plans when you sense God surprising you with an opportunity to help someone in need. If you choose to see interruptions as opportunities rather than as inconveniences, you can start noticing all the wonder that God brings into your life unexpectedly.
Live in sync with natural rhythms. Pay attention to the natural time periods that God has set for our lives. Celebrate a weekly Sabbath day of rest and worship. Enjoy nature during the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Relieve stress with wonder breaks. Make time for wonder breaks – time devoted to the purpose of seeking wonder – in your schedule regularly. For example, take a wonder walk to search for something that inspires you. The transcendent moments you’ll discover on wonder breaks will expand your perspective in ways that relieve stress and time pressure for you.
Learn more about how to manage your time in ways that help you experience wonder by reading my book Wake Up to Wonder.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/fizkes
