by Jeremy Lallier

Time is a limited resource that slips away. It so easily can be used unwisely and even for evil. How should Christians be occupying their days?

The apostle Paul has the answer: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, emphasis added throughout). Looking at the news and trends of the world around us, we see that the days are becoming more and more evil. They resemble the stressful, perilous times Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 3 (see our article “Staying Warm in a Spiritually Cold World”). 

So how do we redeem the time? How do we make the best use of the minutes, hours and days God has given us? Paul continues, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (verse 17).

This is where it all starts. If we want to truly use our time in the best possible way, then we need to begin with understanding God’s will for both our lives and the world at large.

One of the best uses of our time is studying the Bible. Learn more by reading “How to Study the Bible.” The path to that understanding is also one of prayer, meditation, fasting and fellowship—and it’s a path we can never afford to stop walking. Spending our time wisely makes for much better days and a wonderful future—eternity in the Kingdom of God!

Tips for redeeming the time include:

• Put first things first (especially time with God).
• Plan and follow a regular daily schedule, with adjustments to match the weekly cycle (especially the Sabbath).
• Plan how to handle the unexpected.
• Don't forget to invest time in relationships.

We have a number of resources about “redeeming the time” that cover practical ways to make the best use of the time we have been given. See our articles “Christian Time Management,” “What Do You Do in Your Free Time?” and “The Busyness Trap.”

See also our Daily Bible Verse Blog post “Numbering Our Days.”