7 Timely Truths about Time-Part 2

Perhaps your lifestyle schedule is best described with Mason Cooley’s quip: The time I kill is killing me. It’s easy to lose track of the real purpose of one’s life when our schedules get jammed with the many activities that we’ve committed ourselves to. In a previous post I referenced the first four timely truths from Solomon’s poem in Ecclesiastes 3. In this post we’ll examine the final 3.

Timely Truth #5: LIVE LIFE peacefully & DO LIFE minimalistically

A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away
While it is counter intuitive, I have found that the more we possess the more we have to worry about. The best way to live life peacefully is to keep one’s possessions in their context. The moment we start living for our possessions, is the moment we become anxious over whether or not we’ll be able to hold on to them. John Wesley once said, “GAIN all you can; SAVE all you can; GIVE all you can.” That’s a good pattern for all of us. That is how we will learn to LIVE LIFE PEACEFULLY.
There is also a time to keep and a time to cast away. The minimalist movement, reminds us of this. Josh Becker writes of this truth: “Minimalism is intentionally living with only the things I really need—those items that support my purpose. I am removing the distraction of excess possessions so I can focus more on those things that matter most…Modern culture has bought into the lie that the good life is found in accumulating things—in possessing as much as possible…But they are wrong. Embracing minimalism brings freedom from the all-consuming passion to possess. It steps off the treadmill of consumerism and dares to seek happiness elsewhere.”
To cast away is to learn to DO LIFE MINIMALISTICALLY.

Timely Truth #6: GRIEVE meaningfully & ENCOURAGE consistently

A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
In the Bible,  “tearing and silence” depict a time of grief and the “sewing and speaking” the recovery. David and his soldiers tore their clothing upon hearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan. Job tore his robe at news of his children’s untimely deaths. In biblical times you would hire professional mourners, who would come to a funeral to get the grieving started. We live in a closed society emotionally. This phrase reminds us that there is a time to GRIEVE MEANINGFULLY.
There is also an appropriate time to speak.  We need to speak words that build up and encourage. Colossians 4:6 reminds us of this truth: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Even if we have a habit of offering encouraging words, it’s no time to stop. Note Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” We ought to ENCOURAGE CONSISTENTLY.

Timely Truth # 7: GIVE sacrificially & STAND steadfastly

A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.
Love in the Bible is best described as living sacrificially for others. Jesus modeled that pattern of living, and encouraged us to do so too. There are certain things that God hates–a prideful look, deceit, taking advantage of the innocent, and a divisive spirit (Pro. 6:16-19). While there is a time to love, there is also a time to hate; both have their place.  Loving well reminds us to GIVE SACRIFICIALLY. 
Our world is at war, and just not on an international level. Within nations there are political skirmishes and within families there’s sibling disunity. The wise person will determine what is worth fighting about and what isn’t.  Social media has tended to blur the lines of this necessary wisdom. Arguments ensue over the kind of stuff that doesn’t matter; bringing war to where peace previously existed.  Learning to take gracious stand for what matters is essential. 1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds us, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” When it comes to what is right, there is a time to STAND STEADFASTLY. 

Phil Moser is a pastor and author of the Biblical Strategies series.  and 4M Training for Men. This post is taken from his book Safe in the Storm: biblical strategies for overcoming anxiety. His books are available on Amazon and at biblicalstrategies.com

Phil Moser is the presenter on the TAKE 20 video series where we take 20 minutes to apply new truths  from the Bible. This months series is: Reconstructing the American Dream