Have you ever sat at an airport and watched the people move throughout the terminal. Some walk slowly, others run frantically. The difference in pace is always related to time. Some are early, well prepared. Others are late due to unexpected delays or simple procrastination.

Because you cannot separate success from a wise use of time, time is an important part of life. Many evangelist attempt to be successful without giving much thought to time, but those who truly attain success, respect and honor time in their personal and ministry life.

To the Galatians, Paul wrote, “Let us not grow weary while doing good...As we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (Gal. 6:9-10). The Greek word for “opportunity” means making the most of your time. Time and opportunity are vitally linked to success in ministry.

Wasting time is sin. God is maker and ruler of time and He has entrusted us with this precious gift. We must recognize that God is the One who defines what is a waste. God defines a waste of time as anything that does not contribute to the fulfillment of His plan and purpose for us. You may ask, “Are recreation and rest wastes of time?” Not necessarily. God desires for you and I to take time to rejuvenate our bodies and minds and to have moments of pleasure and enjoyment. But as Ecclesiastes 3:1 declares, “There is time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

Let’s explore how to win back our time and improve the quality of our ministries. To achieve this we must be willing to make a few changes as it relates to time wasters (television, daydreaming, procrastination, useless telephone conversations, surfing the “net”).

The Bible gives us seven keys for good time management. Examine them closely and take charge of your schedules and agendas. Based on what God intends for our daily schedule, make the appropriate adjustment and win back your time!

7 BIBLICAL KEYS TO GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT

Key #1 Take Responsibility
The first key is to take responsibility for your use of time. The Bible challenges us to redeem the time, which means to make the most of our time that God has given us (Eph 5:16). Make a quality decision to take charge of your time. If you don’t manage your time, somebody else will.

Key #2 Seek God’s Direction
We must recognize that God has things for us to do on a daily basis. Ephesians 2:10 declares, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” God has preplanned, prepared and prearranged your day. Each day, ask the Lord to help you identify His plan for your day. Ask Him who, how and when should you minister by using the gifts that He has blessed you with.

Don’t limit God’s guidance to just work or ministry, inquire of Him of when to spend recreational and family time as well. You’ll have greater peace when you do.

Key #3 Plan Your Schedule
Days, week, and months can float by without accomplishing the fulfillment of God’s goals for your life. Without a well-thought schedule of daily deadlines, goals and dreams can slip away. Set a schedule, with deadlines, on a calendar or personal planner. Organize your time for maximum productivity and efficiency. If mornings are your most productive times, don’t allow phone calls, appointments or meetings to drain your energy. Schedule calls and other appointments in the afternoon hours. Plan your schedule to maximize each moment of your day.

Key #4 Stay Organized
Throughout the Bible, we find numerous references about doing things in an orderly manner (Exodus 10:1-16 for example). Organization is the master key to efficiency. Continually searching for a document or lost items is a waste of time. While the definition of being organized may differ from person to person, seek the Lord to help stay organized in your ministry, finances and personal life. Without organization, you have confusion which is not of God.

Key #5 Depend Upon the God’s Wisdom
We read in Proverbs 4:7 that “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom...” According to this scripture, wisdom is the most important thing that a man or woman can obtain. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge. While you may know what you have to do that day, ask God to give you His ability to do it. I guarantee that once you get God’s wisdom on your knowledge, you’ll do it better, smarter and quicker.

Key #6 Eliminate the Unimportant
I am convinced that God has a strong dislike for distractions and derailments from His plan. We are wise to heed the same Words that God spoke to Joshua concerning his life. He said, “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Josh 1:7). If a crisis or someone interrupts your concentration, do not allow it to consume your whole day and detour you from God’s plan. Stay on track with your day by prioritizing the most important task to the least. There are many tasks to do, but use laser focus and concentration on the top few. Pursue your goals vigorously.

Key #7 Review Your Day
At the end of the day, evaluate your day. Compare what you did to what you intended to do. Ask yourself:

Did I make good use of my time?
Did I waste God’s time?
Did I maintain my concentration?
Did I make progress (perhaps a little) towards accomplishing God’s goal for my day?
Did I engage in activities that were truly prioritized?
How did I handle today’s distractions?

After an honest review, give God praise for His guidance for the successful tasks you accomplished. If you recognized you made mistakes or have fallen short of the intended schedule you set for yourself, ask the Lord’s forgiveness for any wasted time. Don’t give up on the pursuit of your daily goals. Make adjustments, learn from the mistakes and begin the next day with enthusiasm and courage.

The wise use of time is the mark of discipline and vital to good success.