NO! GOD TIME

The world is more and more about ‘me time.’  I hear it often in a variety of programs, but what does it mean? and should Christians have me time?

Originally, ‘Me time’ was just meant to be someone taking a little time in the day to take a break and relax doing something they enjoyed, to enable them to then carry on doing what was necessary throughout the rest of the day without burning themselves out, which is a good thing, but, as usual with humans, we take everything to the extreme, and it is becoming more about having a lifestyle that puts ‘me’ in the centre so that we can enjoy our whole life.

The problem is it means others must take on the strain of filling the gap we are leaving.

Young people see programs that encourage them to do as little as possible for as much reward as possible while always putting themselves in the centre – making themselves important, which sounds lovely, and many people over the centuries have tried it, but it doesn’t work, because it means someone else must spend their lives looking after you. This causes resentment, bitterness, and jealousy, plus, if everyone puts themselves first who will there be to grow the crops? Make your furniture for you? Build your home for you? Clean your house for you?  Etc. etc. And anyway, why should they if you are capable yourself? Do you see where I’m going with this? A world full of ‘me firsts’ gets nowhere. But a world full of ‘you firsts’ will thrive because when we help each other, everything gets done and everyone gets rest times, just not all at the same time.

What Jesus did, and what we must do, is die to self and put others first. We should make others more important than ourselves in our sight – which is easy to say and often difficult to do, especially when you live with that person, because there is no escape. (As someone once said, “This is why some start going to the pub or the gym – or anywhere else to escape.”)

Now there is nothing wrong with going out with friends, (provided you’re not getting drunk), or going to the gym or golfing or what ever you do for recreation, unless you use it as an escape from your responsibilities and you start putting it before your work for God or your family.

As Christians, we see Jesus putting others first, and he is our example, so we should do the same. Now everyone needs time to ‘recharge their batteries,’ even Jesus. So, what did Jesus do? He took himself away to spend time praying and talking to his heavenly Father.

So, if you are struggling with your responsibilities at work or in the home – take it to the Lord in prayer. Jesus got tired and needed rest. He knows how you feel, and he will help you to either rearrange your life, change your job, or strengthen you to accomplish the work he has set for you.

What we need to do as Christians is, have more God time. Time when we talk to Jesus, tell him what’s going on in our lives, how we feel, ask for help when we need it, and thank him for the opportunities he puts in front of us to help others. This is how a good community works.

This is how I understand my God.

Read for yourself, see what you think.