How we spend our time is an indicator of our causes, or of what we care about. And it’s often said, time is money. But as much as money would aspire to, it can’t ever amount to the value of time. Time is the most precious resource we have, and, unlike money, we can’t build up more of it. Yet, we can learn to spend our time well, to invest it in causes that will produce big returns. Therefore, it’s important to take a deep look at how our time is managed. Ultimately, the goal is to live with our time and energy focused towards a cause greater than ourselves.However, if we think about it, what keeps us from putting our time where our causes are tend to be the following:

Not Enough Time

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying aloud “I don’t have any time!” you’re not alone. Many of us are swamped under loads of responsibility. But the truth is we all have 24 hours a day. Wondering what to prioritize on your limited schedule? A great start is to make time for God. Prayer and worship during the first minutes of the day sets the entire day right. In that quiet moment, God will guide your priorities, bringing people and resources your way that will help to efficiently accomplish goals. Add God to your daily agenda and watch as those same 24 hours that once slipped away begin to work in your favor.

Too Much Time

Well, what about when there is too much time wasted on, say, a TV binging session or procrastinating? Generally, distractions come up because there’s a lack of a worthy cause. Yet in light of a worthy cause, old escapes will become unnecessary. Purposeful conversations, participating in enriching activities, and consumption of constructive content will be your new normal. And it’s not to say you won’t watch TV or scroll through social feeds. But you can set time limits for those activities, so you don’t fall behind and feel the guilt of wasted time. A cause will help prioritize tasks and lend a sense of urgency to all you do, rather than looking to fill in empty time.The use of our time has spiritual implications. Let’s not forget who created time- God is the author. Just as with any gift he gives us, he wants us to use our time to the fullest. He cares how we use our time and so should we. God gives us our cause and the ability to invest our time in it so that the rest can fall into place. It is with him we learn there’s something worth living for, and we gain the willingness to go full force for it.