Let me lay out for you a typical weekend in my life. I don't have school on Fridays or Saturdays, so I typically dedicate these days to studying for my nursing classes. Sunday is supposed to be my day off, where I can just lead my small group and hang out with my family or friends. At least, that's what things are supposed to look like. Here's what actually happens.
Thoughts going through my mind on Friday.
"Ok, let's get down to business. I've got a lot to take care of, and there's a test on Wednesday. Let me just check my Facebook for a few minutes, and then I'm off to the races. Someone commented on my status? Oh sweet, I'll go respond to that."
*Scroll down my News Feed.*
"I'll just see what's going on with my friends. Someone posted a link to a Vine video? Oh... my... it's cats frolicking in a field of gummy bears. Must. share. Oh look, someone commented with a link to a Youtube video. WHAT?!? Cats rapping about gummy bears! Coolest. video. ever. And just look at these suggested videos! One's called, 'French Cat Performs Surgery.'"
*Watch this 7 minute video in its entirety, then follow a trail of suggested Youtube videos until you somehow get to one about the brand new field of biochemical engineering of 3D printers that print new organs already inside your body!*
"ACPTH! How is it 1 o'clock already?? I can't believe I let myself do this again. Now, I can't spend any time with God, or have the opportunity to hang out with my brother and friends tonight because I have to study."
*Repeat on Saturday.*
*Have leftover work that needs to be finished on Sunday, which flushes family-hang-time down the pooper.*
Ok, so maybe this doesn't happen every week, but it happens in some form or another, to lesser or greater degrees, every day. It perpetually serves to frustrate me, get me behind, and prevent me from doing other, more constructive things. Plus, it doesn't even bring any satisfaction past the 5 seconds you take to do it! And I don't think I'm the only one.
And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” (Matt. 22)I'm pretty sure God's cornered the market when it comes to time. He owns it. Monopolies ain't got nothing on Him - He invented it. So, I'm pretty sure that the root of the problem with this laziness is a failure to recognize that when God's asking us to give Him what is His, He's also talking about our time.
I write this article mostly out of the conviction that has washed over me with this stuff. And every time I try to buckle down and "just stop," I find that I am totally incompetent to do so. I find that the only thing that works is surrendering before I start my day, while I'm going throughout my day, and while the day is winding down.
Essentially, I need to shake hands with surrender every moment.
So who are you shaking hands with today?
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