Read Ephesians 5:15–17

Iam a sucker for time-management books.

Some people can’t say no to a salesman at the door. Others have the hardest time passing up a litter of free puppies. Some people struggle with driving by a garage sale without stopping. Still others find it almost impossible to withstand the urge to gamble. Not me. My weakness is books that teach me about the investment of my time—all of those volumes that promise to tell me how to replace simply being busy with being effective. I have a special place in my heart for books that get me to think through things before plunging into them.

I could save money (and the time spent reading) if I remembered what the Bible says about how to live effectively. The biblical antidote to the problem is described best by the apostle Paul:

Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Such truths grab my attention. Walking wisely is the secret to living above our circumstances rather than under them.

If you kept reading Ephesians 5, you’d discover that the Holy Spirit is the One who helps you manage life effectively:

Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-19)

Put yourself under His control by spending time in His Word and committing to a life of obedience and trust. That’s what will guarantee you’re using your time wisely.

Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.