I’m going to tell you something that may surprise you.
You may be failing to effectively utilize your time and make a difference.
We have a limited amount of time to make change. We have a limited amount of time to make a difference. The question becomes, what are we doing with our time?
The truth of the matter is that our lives our fragile. When I think about the frailty of the human experience, I am reminded of this scripture in the bible, found in John 9:4, “I must do the work of him who sent me while it is day. Night comes and no one can work.” John 9:4
In this passage, Jesus was clear that even his time was limited. He was on assignment and he took that assignment seriously.
When I hear ‘night is coming and no one can work,’ I think about seasons in life when it is impossible to work. There are seasons when we have more or less capacity. There are seasons where we could like to do more, but simply can’t. Maybe we’re constrained by a health condition, a lack of finances or other challenges. And certainly there are seasons when we could definitely do more, but sometimes don’t.
‘Night is coming and no one can work,’ also reminds me that I do not have unlimited time on earth. Each of us are living in the dash between when we are born and when we depart this earth. This acknowledgement is not meant to discourage us, but to remind us to be sober and diligent in what we do with the time before us.
The question becomes, how am I using my time and am I using my time in a way that will honor God. Am I accomplishing all that I can with the gifts God has given me. Are you accomplishing all that you can with the gifts bestowed on you?
Now, I get it. When one is healthy, or when one has the advantage of youth, it is really easy to feel that we will live forever. It is easy to put off for tomorrow what could be done today. Resisting this urge is not always easy.
I recall having breakfast at The Secret Garden Cafe in Occoquan, Virginia with my friend, Meghan Dotter. The restaurant, which was nestled inside Northern Virginia, was one of our favorites. We must have been speaking about goals, when Meghan looked at me directly and said, “What are you waiting for?” It was a direct but kindly inquisitive question. In that moment, I grappled with the question.
If I’m honest, I think I was afraid to do or be more. I thought I needed the permission of my bosses. I may have been afraid of shining. But the question reminded me that I only get so much time. And I’ve decided to use it wisely and judiciously.
How about you?
Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer®, is an author, lecturer and strategic communications expert. Check out our blog posts and subscribe for updates.