Can We Be Greedy of Our Time?
An aha moment about time, and I believe time will be my wondrous word for the year
“The way we spend our time defines who we are.”
– Jonathan Estrin
Nobody is going to stand up at the end of your life and say you were such a generous person with your time if it was always focused on you.
My aha moment came to me during a morning when I was sipping my lovely cup of coffee. I was reading a scripture that talked about idols.
Can time be an idol, or can we be greedy with our time? I believe the answer to both of these is yes.
Are we constantly spinning our wheels day in and day out in a hurried state trying to get ahead?
If you find it hard to relax, could it be greediness of your time is happening?
What is greediness?
Greediness is the state of greed. It’s a selfish or excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, especially for money, wealth, food, or other possessions. Could our time also be included in this list?
Do you ever feel like you have enough? Are we always longing for more? Hard times in life force a longing for more.
Do we ever feel that we have enough time in a day? Are we always in a hurry thinking we need to make the most of our time but miss the current moments at hand that should mean the most?
Can time be an idol?
Yes, considering an idol is worshiping someone or something other than God as though it were God. I’m not saying we don’t believe in God, but do we try to control our time?
I believe there is definitely a time for everything but do we have to hurry all the time? What are you on the search for constantly? Are you letting this pursuit consume you while missing out on the present moment? The present moment is a gift.
9 In their heart’s humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
— Proverbs: 16–9
Do you ever have those days when nothing seems to go right? Do you think it’s God’s way of stopping you in your tracks? Is he trying to get your attention? He lives in the present times.
Are you missing the moments that are most important in life?
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
— Ecclesiastes 3:1–8
If God directs our steps, but we ignore him in the present moments in life, is this why those times of spinning our wheels occur? How can you slow down and include Him in your day? If he’s in control of everything, shouldn’t we lean on His timing?
Slowing down time
“Time is an illusion.”
— Albert Einstein
Learning a few new strategies can help. First, admitting you have been investing too much time in things instead of people is important.
What if you could learn to:
- Stop multitasking and also stop producing work on your downtime
- Rejuvenate your day-to-day routine
- Eliminate the same old things of little value throughout your days
- Change up where or how you accomplish your goals throughout your week
- Recognize when you get distracted to focus your attention where you need it
Making people a priority
The greatest gifts are those in which we freely give. The trick is to let our egos go and accept that we may not always receive something in return.
- Give from a whole heart: When we have a heart that’s full, loving ourselves and knowing our worth, we can provide so much more to others. We than know that we are blessing the other person and it’s coming from a full heart and not a lack of love.
- Give out of abundance: When you believe in abundance, you will give away nearly everything. You know that you will always have enough.
- Give to make another person’s life better: When you live abundantly – whether in love, through items, or your time, you will live knowing you have enough to give away freely.
We should give to make someone else’s life better, not our own.
“The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.”
— Carol Ryrie Brink
Closing time
Learning to give our time freely to those around us is a humbling opportunity. Life isn’t all about getting ahead of others.
Time is the most precious gift, yet we hoard it instead of giving it away freely.
When it’s all said and done here, will others say you would have indeed given the shirt off your back? Living from a place of an abundant mindset will allow you to give everything you have away allowing the time to make the lives of others better.
You’re capable of amazing things. Time is a gift to be given. If today were your last day, how would you live differently?
I’m writing this as a thank you for my time here on earth and the choice of how I spend my days. Every second is an opportunity to give. Time is abundantly awaiting each of us.
Thank you Trista Signe Ainsworth for your timely publication, Thank You Notes.
Trista’s weekly prompts are life changing:
