A Word on Diligence
Making best use of the time
What do you do when you have free time? What pulls at your heart when you have time to yourself? If I’m honest, I find myself lying down in bed on social media more often than I’d like to admit. Sometimes that is my go-to when it shouldn’t be.
And I hate it. I despise that that’s where my mind goes. Instead of reading, writing, praying, or doing something else productive, it’s easiest to simply be lazy. And, of course, God warns against laziness multiple times in Scripture. Additionally, the Apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 5:16 to “make the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
Making the best use of time is directly connected with wisdom. The verse preceding says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” So, what’s the wisest thing to do when we have spare time? Is it to mindlessly scroll on social media for an extended time, or is it devote yourself to something productive? Please understand there’s certainly a time and place for relaxation. We don’t always have to be going, going, going. But that’s not what is at play. There are too many times when we find ourselves being sluggards when we could be doing something that is beneficial to our walks with Jesus.
In a word, we must be diligent.
“Diligence combines a willingness to work hard with a discerning focus,” Jon Bloom, co-founder of Desiring God, wrote, “a sense of urgency, a vigilant carefulness, and faithful perseverance.” If we strive to make the best use of our time, we desire to be diligent. The verse in discussion also confirms that if we don’t make the best use of our time, we are foolish (v. 17).
When we are diligent in all things, we “understand what the will of the Lord is” (v. 17b). We strive to be productive, to have a sense of urgency, to know what time it is. Further, when we become lazy and don’t use our time well, that leads to idleness which breeds sin. “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Prov. 13:4).
Be intentional, believer, about your diligence unto the Lord. Make the best use of your time. We won’t be perfect, but we want to glorify God with our time. Whether it’s social media, TV, or the like, it’s not the consumption that is the problem (although it sometimes can be), but it’s the over-consumption. We replace Bible-reading with binge-watching the latest show on Netflix. We replace prayer with mindlessly scrolling through reels. We replace our spiritual disciplines with different things that distract us.
God has called us to more than that. He has called us to be productive, to make the best use of the time he’s given us. Again, God gives us moments to relax, to wind down, to rest. It’s wise to do that because many people don’t have a problem with laziness, but a problem with working too much. However, there are far too many instances of us using God-given spare time and not use it to his glory. Let’s use the time God has given us wisely, friends.
Yes, this is so important! I talk about it often— thanks for a thoughtful reminder!
... In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
Managing time, especially with today´s pervasive distractions, is something that only trusting God can help us handle is a wiser way.
Let us give Him our time to be blessed, just as everything else: He will tell us what to do.
While He understands our occasional lapses into mindless scrolling, let us strive to be more intentional with how we spend our time. (it doesn´t mean we have to keep scrolling though!)
God bless you.