Is What You’re Doing the Best Use of Your Life?

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CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Essentials For Living

Is What You’re Doing the Best Use of Your Life? By Rick Warren — Aug 23, 2015  “Be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise. Live wisely. I mean that you should use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times. So do not be foolish with your lives. But learn what the Lord wants you to do.” (Ephesians 5:15-17 ICB) If you want to make an impact with your life, you’ve got to do one thing: You’ve got to get control of your time. Your time is your life. If you don’t learn to manage your time, you won’t go very far in life. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise. Live wisely. I mean that you should use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times. So do not be foolish with your lives. But learn what the Lord wants you to do” (ICB). We all have the same amount of time every week: 168 hours. It’s what you do with it that counts! You only have a certain number of days you’ve been allotted in this world, and if you blow them, you’ve blown it! If you waste time, you’re wasting your life. If you kill time, you’re committing suicide. Your time is your life. You have to stop and ask, “Is this the best use of my time? Is this the best use of my life?” You don’t have time for everything. The good news is that God doesn’t expect you to do everything. So don’t feel guilty about it! There are only a few things worth doing in the first place. Effective people figure out what’s essential in life and what’s trivial, and they spend more time doing the essential things and less time doing the trivial things. You can’t eliminate all the trivia in your life, but you can reduce it. This sounds easy, but frankly it’s often difficult to choose between what’s best for your life and what’s easiest for your life — especially when you’re tired. When you’re tired you don’t want to do the best thing. You want to do what’s easy. That’s why if you’re really going to make something of your life, you have to learn to get some rest. If you’re not rested, you won’t have the mental, emotional, and physical strength to say, “I’m going to do the right thing instead of the easiest thing.” Don’t waste your life. Don’t settle for second best. Don’t go through life just existing. You were not created to just coast. God made you for a mission and a purpose. That starts by asking the question, “Is what I’m doing the best use of my life?” PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick>> Talk It Over What are the things that take up most of your time? How are those things helping you fulfill your mission in life? What do you need to change in your schedule and priorities so that you can get more rest? Today’s Scripture “...those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.” (Proverbs 14:22, NIV) SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS Plan for Good Do you wake up every morning expecting favor and blessing on everything you do? Do you plan for what is good? When we plan for what is good, the Scripture tells us that we find love. We know that God is love so when you plan for what is good, you will find God in the midst of your plans! Today, don’t let the negative voices of the world or get you distracted or pull you off course. It doesn’t matter what is happening around you, God’s plan is always for your good. Pursue His plan. Seek love and faithfulness because what you seek you will find. Put Him first in all you do and find the peace, joy, and victory He has in store for you! A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for the good plan You have for my life. I choose Your ways. Direct my mind and thoughts according to Your purposes in Jesus’ name. Amen.” PS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKuuScgnlDE