It’s Time

I’ve worn a watch most of my life.

I’ve had cheap, plastic Timex watches bought from Target. I’ve had both Apple and Android smartwatches. Currently, I’m rocking a stainless-steel analog watch that was a mid-twenties birthday present from my dad. I’ve been a clock-watcher for many, many years. Ever since I could understand the concept of time, I’ve been intently aware of it, a sensitivity that has only grown as I’ve gotten older.

Why?

Because time is our most precious, finite, and often underappreciated resource, and I have felt strong emotions related to how I’ve used it in the past. We don’t get to repeat a single second of our lives, and we’re not in full control of how many of those we will have. This can be a scary or encouraging thought, depending on your belief system and lifestyle. Time can be invested or wasted, harnessed or frittered away, saved or killed. And my reaction to the numbers I see on my watch or other clock is always dependent on how I used the time since the last moment I checked.

Now, time can be a deeply philosophical and existential topic, but a short blog post will never do it justice. So I’ll cut to the chase:

I just celebrated another birthday, and I’m more aware than ever of the passing of time and how I’ve used it well and poorly in the past.

It’s time for me to start defending it far more fiercely, treating the moving hands on my wrist with much more intentionality and respect.

So many people and things want our time for themselves. Social media is free because companies have found a way to take our time and sell it to the highest bidder. Our jobs want our time because time is money, and money is necessary for surviving and thriving. And of course, our families and friends need our time—for good reason.

Some things are worth doing and some things aren’t. I find that the things that are the most worth doing involve letting go of my own desires, loving other people through my words and deeds, learning, worshiping God, and doing creative things. The things that usually aren’t as worthwhile often involve me acting like I’m the center of the universe.

For the past few months, as I’ve been considering this topic, I’ve been asking myself this question:

Do I fear the passing of time, or look forward to it?

The truth is I often fear it, mainly because I have a lot of goals and dreams I want to fulfill, and I have no idea how much time I will have in the future to do those things. This fear partly comes as a result of knowing too many people who’ve died “before their time” and left many dreams undone.

I want to look forward to the passing of time, though. I’m a Christian, which means I believe in eternal life after death with my Creator and Savior. It also means I believe that every choice I make can have some form of eternal significance. Periods of work, rest, and waiting all have a purpose, but those moments can easily be twisted and wasted.

It’s all about stewardship. The things I spend my time on will reflect what I believe and value, and I want to make the right choices, even if that means having to fail along the way sometimes.

Therefore, with this recent birthday come and gone, I’ve resolved that it’s time to stop acting as if the clock will never stop ticking on my life here on Earth. I’ve resolved to be more intentional and mindful of each moment, each day, each year, and each decision that might have implications for my overall lifestyle. And it’s time I put more of my time into the hands of God.

So I’m giving myself a challenge for the coming year. I’m finally going to write a book, with the goal of being finished with the first draft before my next birthday. It’s a goal I’ve had as long as I can remember, and…

The time is now.