Do you ever feel as though you've wasted time? Sat and did nothing while there were things around the house to be done. Scrolled through Facebook when you could have been chatting with family or friends. Slept instead of going to church or made excuses why you couldn't make it to a get together. Watched TV instead of reading the Bible......I know I have!
Sometimes what should be called laziness we substitute the word relaxing. Or as my 4 year old calls it "laxin.'" We DEFINITELY do need sleep and chill time. Time to let our brains and bodies recover from all we put them through. But that is not wasting time. Rest time helps make our active time more productive. If you haven't given you body, brain and soul rejuvenation time, then you won't be at your best physically, mentally or spiritually. Think about it, when we are tired we're more vulnerable, we are more susceptible to the wiles of the devil. So, in short GET SOME REST! Now lets talk about what's really on my heart, wasting time! Want a real life example from the files of Brittany? I could give you many but here's a recent one.
I only had my oldest, the boy, as I sometimes call him since he's our only son. The girls were staying the night with a family friend. My husband had went to bed. So I took the opportunity to lay with my first born. Even though he's a big 12 year old middle school football player, he was happy to have his momma lay with him to chat. So we stated talking and then he started complaining before I noticed I had my phone in hand scrolling Facebook. As I listen and tried to offer words of encouragement I flicked the screen down the many posts of the Facebook scene. We watched a few silly videos together and looked a pictures, which we laughed together about.
Many are probably thinking "So, what's the problem? Sounds like a win to me." Well, it does until the Holy Spirit pokes your heart! My dad calls it a check in your spirit. I didn't spend face to face, eye contact time with my son. I spent time showing him I was uninterested in him, what he had to say, what was bothering him or on his mind. He's my deep, sensitive child much like myself. He notices little things, so in turn little things bother him. Which he doesn't tell you about until one day when he's pushed or explodes. Again, he's like me. I know this all too well. I honestly do not believe he was bothered by it this time. We live in such a technological world most kids don't think anything about it.
But the Spirit did. He wanted me to be aware. So now I pass it to you. The Spirit asked me could you not have left your phone in another room? Why did you choose that time to scroll Facebook? Did you help your son? Did you really connect with him in that moment? Do you get much time completely alone and undistracted with him? Do you even know what that's like anymore? To really see someone without a screen?
Intimacy. Scary word to some, foreign, or forgotten to others. All relationships require it. I'm sure I know the word that comes to mind when intimacy is mentioned. But when you google it that's the third definition. The first is closeness, togetherness, attachment, friendliness, affection, warmth, confidence. These things, any of them, cannot be done without eye contact, without face to face contact, without time. God not only wants us to have this intimacy with others. He wants us to have this intimacy with us! He wants a relationship. Yes, it takes time. But I've found that anything good does. Be blessed and bless others by taking time for intimacy with family and friends. Don't miss out on the intimacy God wants for us. Remember things like body language, face to face eye contact, tone of someone's voice. These things are ways of communication, interaction, and how we get our point across.
Our number one relationship should be with God, through the Holy Spirit. When this relationship is on point all others will be good too.
Verses for study: *Proverbs 18:1 *John 10:27
*Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 *Zephaniah 3:17
*2 Corinthians 1:3-4 *Proverbs 27:17
Brittany Turner
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