Make Time to Do the Things that Matter

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”Matthew 6:25-26 NLT

In a story titled “Ultrarunner Sophie Power breaks 48-hour treadmill world record in bid to inspire women in sport,” it was reported that Sophie Power recently broke the record for the most distance covered by a woman on a treadmill in 48 hours. It follows an equally impressive feat last year, in which she became the fastest female to cross Ireland on foot. In her latest challenge, Power covered more than 365 km (226.8 miles) across two days in January, running and hiking on a treadmill at the National Running Show in Birmingham, England. Her achievement – which is still subject to usual ratification from Guinness World Records – was driven in part by her burning passion to improve access for women in sport. Knowing that she serves as a role model to other women, it warmed my heart that Sophie (a 42-year-old mother of three) shared some of the sacrifices she must make to achieve her goals—thus making it clear that if a person wants to “do great things.” there are things they must give up. “I think we put lots of pictures up of women achieving things without saying how they do things, and that only gives us that desire to do something but doesn’t say how we do it. It’s important to say, ‘This is my training, this is my childcare, this is my multitasking, this is what I don’t do.’ Like my house is always a mess, I don’t put makeup on in the morning, I don’t care about what I wear, I don’t watch TV, I don’t go out all the time, so there’s all stuff I don’t do, so I can do things.” 

And, you know, this attitude that every successful ultrarunner has—of not doing meaningless things so they can do important things, like making the time to train—is the very attitude every successful Christian has, and by successful I mean serving Christ to their full potential. You see, we all have the same amount of time in a day. But the believer who doesn’t spend their time worrying “about every day life” seemingly has more time because they don’t waste time pursuing things that are of no benefit in reaching their ultimate goal. They are content with having their basic needs met and so can pursue knowing God and making his great Name known. Furthermore, successful Christians “look at the birds” as Jesus told them to and trust Him to meet their needs since they know they are “far more valuable to Him than they are.”

So, don’t worry about everyday life my friend. God knows what you need and is He faithful to provide. With that always in mind, “don’t do” those things that waste your precious time so you “can do” the things that truly matter. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we are called to make the best use of the time you have given us. Please give us the wisdom and strength to give up those things that steal our time Lord so that we can redeem the time you have given us by serving You to our fullest potential, thereby investing our talents wisely and successfully doing our part in making heaven full. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!