By Jeremy Lopez
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We all have the same amount of time—24 hours a day, seven days a week. The longer I live, the more I discover that time is too valuable to waste, and we need to live on purpose, for a purpose.
The truth is if you make wise decisions now, you will have a better future. But if you waste your time now, you will have regrets, and regrets are terrible because you can't go back and do anything about them.
That's why we need to do the right thing when we have the opportunity to do it instead of blaming our circumstances or how we were raised or how the world is for the way we live. We can learn how to cooperate with God and make changes that will make something good happen in our lives.
Ephesians 3:20b (NIV) is an exciting verse people like because it says God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." But if we stop there, we don't fully see what this Scripture is saying. It goes on to say, "according to his power that is at work within us."
God is able to do great things as His power works in us and through us. So it's not just about God doing things for you—He wants to do things through you. We are meant to be partners with God, participating in His plans, not merely spectators.
Instead of wishing life would change, we can start taking action. We can pray, study God's Word, and as He speaks to our hearts, we can step out in faith.
I want to encourage you not to let fear keep you from moving forward. If you are afraid of making the wrong choice, then make a determined decision to take a step of faith and trust God to show you if you're going in the wrong direction. Because sometimes we can't find out what the right direction is until we step out and find out.
In Proverbs 1:1-5, we learn some of the ways we hear God's voice as we seek Him. Verse 4a says He gives "prudence to those who are simple."
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines prudence as "the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason; shrewdness in the management of affairs; skill and good judgment in the use of resources." A prudent person is disciplined and a good manager. He won't waste his money, time, energy, talents or words. We see this in the following Scriptures:
Proverbs 10:19b (AMP) says the prudent person "controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence."
Proverbs 12:16 (NIV) teaches that "fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult."
And Proverbs 31:16 describes the prudent woman as one who carefully considers new opportunities before making a decision and uses her time in ways that benefit her.
I want to encourage you to study these verses and look up others that will help you get more revelation about prudence.
God created you to live on purpose, for a purpose! His plan is for you to bear good fruit, and He's given you free will so you can make good choices in every area of your life.
It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life in the world we live in today. We all need to take time on a regular basis to think about how we're spending our time so we can evaluate whether we're being fruitful and making progress in the things we should be doing.
I like to do this before I go to bed at night. I think through the things I did that day to see what I accomplished. Doing this helps me discover anything that caused me to waste time and lose my focus on the things I needed to do.
Honestly examine the way you're spending your time. Pray and ask God to reveal things that need to change, ways you can make better choices that line up with His wisdom and then lean on Him for the strength to make changes. You'll find that as you make choices guided by the Spirit of God, you won't end up with regrets—you'll be fulfilled, peaceful and excited about how He is working in your life!
Joyce Meyer
