Steve felt like he wasted a bunch of time on the latest project he was working on. It wasn’t going as he had hoped. No one likes feeling like they wasted a bunch of time. It spurs feelings of frustration, impatience, and regret. Regretting wasted time? It’s already gone so it’s not possible to get it back.

We’re often in hurries to “get it all done” but the reality is, hurrying can waste time. Rushing often leads to poor decision making and reactivity which can trigger disappointment and bitterness.

One way to not waste time is to pray before the choices you make and ask God for discernment. Be patient. You will waste more time trying to force things.

I like to laugh and be inspired. Spiritual t-shirts inspire and funny quotes can make us laugh. Here are a few good ones:

“I’m not great at the advice – can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?” – Chandler Bing, Friends.

“When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them,” – Rodney Dangerfield.

“Here’s something to think about: How come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’?” — Jay Leno.

Here’s another: “Life is too precious to waste.”

The Bible tells us how not to waste our lives. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) says: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Now, let’s dive into what wastes time and what doesn’t.

What Are Time Wasters?

Classic time wasters include procrastination, multitasking, overthinking, interruptions, and comparison. Comparison might be known as the thief of joy but it’s also a time waster because when you don’t know yourself, you waste time trying to emulate things that work for others but might not be suited for you. For example, you might be more productive in the afternoon than in the morning, better fueled by tea than coffee, and find lifting weights more relaxing than yoga. Knowing what works for you avoids wasting time trying to copy someone else’s routine.

There are many time wasters but what is the original, largest one of all? Sin. Adam and Eve’s sin brought death into the world and vastly shortened our lives. They disobeyed God by listening to the devil disguised as a serpent and failed to glorify The Lord.  Adam and Eve’s sin was the failure to respect all that they were given. The beginning of Wisdom is fear of the Lord. The fear of God is respect, to glorify, to humble ourself before All that we are given.

We waste our time as believers when we fail to glorify God. Willfully sinning continually is turning away from God and wasting time by falling again and again.

The people of Israel felt God’s judgment when they continually ignored His promises and failed to glorify Him. They didn’t trust that God would lead them to victory in the promised land so one their journey, when God sent them through the wilderness, and their fear led them to roam for 40 futile years. The Lord doesn’t turn away from us, we turn away from God and think we will be ok. Things will work out for us one way or another. The only difference is that with God we are in an infinite space so what we need and including others, always works out. The other we will end up wasting time because we will eventually hit a wall. Now I’m not saying that riding a wave God’s way means not hitting a wall. I’m saying that when we hit the wall, God will already have a way out for us; 1Corinthians 1:13.

What Aren’t Time Wasters?

On the other hand, when you prioritize spending time with God, creating community with others, praying, reading the Bible, meditating on the Word, then you are NOT wasting time. Living in your purpose is never wasted time. Prioritizing God leads to introspection, reflection, delegation, goal setting, and planning.

You don’t just want to be busy with the time God gives you, you want to be productive. Many of us know the advice about mistaking busyness for productivity. It refers to juggling multiple tasks while lying to yourself that you’re being productive. Your time is wasted thinking of the next task instead of concentrating on the present one. Think about why you do this, and what you can do to stay focused. Maybe someone will help out with something, or think of how you will stick to your present one. Be still and Know that I AM God. Psalm: 46:10 Just saying that will automatically create a more calming effect so that you’re able to concentrate better!

Time is always well spent glorifying God, though. Paul says, “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.”

You see, your time is not, well, yours. It’s God’s time that He’s blessed you with and there is a special purpose for you, which is slowly revealed. He is your good father who you can depend on for your needs. You don’t have to drive yourself crazy trying to do everything on your own. Rest in Him. He is directing your path, let Him.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

How God Helps Us Avoid Wasting Time

How can you live well and not waste a bunch of time? By seeking and knowing the Lord. He works by:

Offering guidance through Scripture

The Bible is a source of divine wisdom and thus helps us discern how to live and get closer to God without wasting time. God’s guidance through Scripture emphasizes the importance of making the most of opportunities and understanding God’s will.

Providing prompts for reflection

Reflection lets you slow down, think, and analyze. God will inspire you to examine your life, identify how you feel about things, and evaluate how you’re spending time. He will align you with His plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11 Understand that God uses everything for the good of those who love and are called to His purpose. We are all called to a purpose and even the most difficult will have a way to be worked for the good of it all. Romans 8:28

Strengthening you to overcome temptations

You don’t have to rely on willpower to avoid temptations. Call on The Lord to provide the strength and grace you need to resist distractions and temptations that waste time. Prayer can be as simple as a thank you or an amen.

Emphasizing priorities

Just include glorifying The Lord, connecting with and serving others, and pursuing spiritual growth. Focusing on these priorities will bring the wonderful fruits of the Spirit into your life.

Redeeming wasted time

God renews and transforms you, leaving wasted time in the past. We only have now. When you put your focus on God, you are living now in present time. Everything you’ve done up to now has built you into the faithful person you’re becoming. Every day you will be renewed and refreshed. This faithfulness will result in less fear, more strength, clarity and humility, as well as being able to acknowledge others. What happened yesterday is gone and done, whether it was great or horrible. Live now and let the past go. Keep your good memories. Right now is where you build forward.

Affirming Sabbath rest

People need rest. We’re not robots. The Sabbath, a day of rest, reminds us of the importance of living a balanced life and allows us to recharge and feel the Spirit while resting.

Be comforted that God is working in you and you’re on a journey. He is transforming and renewing your mind, body, and soul. You may look back and think that you wasted time on certain things because you didn’t get the outcome you wanted but you will see that everything was and is working out for the good. Man’s rejection is God’s protection. God is teaching you things, strengthening you, and bringing you closer to Him on this life journey which is the ultimate purpose. Because once this temporary life is over, it’s your Father that you will spend eternity with.

“Grace all-sufficient dwells in you, believer. There is a living well within you springing up; use the bucket, then; keep on drawing; you will never exhaust it; there is a living source within.” – Charles Spurgeon.

We don’t have to earn salvation on our own. It’s given to us as believers. Growing faith in God comes from God Himself. Seek The Lord and He will give you greater faith! God is always working in you for the glory which is to your benefit! You don’t have to live in a punishment mindset, thinking “one wrong step and God will strike me!” Instead, know that you are working to prosper and give you the fruits of the Spirit when you align with His will. God is Love! 1John 4:8

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” – Philippians 1:6 (NLV)

We have an enemy that wants to distract us and sometimes we are our worst enemy,  but Paul warned that living a distracted life causes us to neglect priorities and Jesus’ teachings. God’s will is for us to follow the life and teachings of Jesus Christ so that we become more like Him.

Ephesians 1:7 (NIV): “Through the blood of His Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of His overflowing kindness.”  

Time With God Is Never Wasted

You won’t waste time when you prioritize what matters.

An illuminating illustration of this is the story of Mary and Martha found in the gospel of Luke. Jesus had come to a village with His disciples and a woman named Martha invited Him into the home which she shared with her sister, Mary. We quickly see that Martha is distracted with preparations, duties, and tasks while Mary sits at Jesus’s feet listening to Him talk.

Martha, frustrated that no one’s helping her, boldly walks up to Jesus and says “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!” – Luke 10:40 (NIV) The Lord answers her, “Martha, Martha,” you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Martha had Jesus IN HER HOUSE and she couldn’t slow down to be present with Him because she had too much to do. Unfortunately, I think more of us identify with Martha than with Mary, commonly placing more importance on checking items off our to-do lists than spending time with God.  Are you so busy that you can’t find time for God?

In this story, Jesus says “Mary has chosen what is better.” He recognizes Mary’s God-given free will to choose and she made the right choice. If you pause and think, you’ll find that many of the things on your to-do list are not urgent and not that important, at least, not as important as growing closer to God. Will you, like Mary, choose to make the time?

Psalm 39:6 (NLV) characterizes the busy but unproductive manner this way: “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.”

Wow, I don’t know about you, but that definitely speaks to me! Do you ever feel like you’re just going through the motions, “getting it all done” without being present? You end up feeling just like a busy phantom!

Now, you might be thinking that you can’t give time to God because you struggle with discipline, but remember, you don’t have to depend on willpower! God will transform and renew you to do the hard things.

Philippians 2:13 (NIV): “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

God gives you the desire, and then the willpower.

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV) declares: “…’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’ says the Lord Almighty.”  

The Lord comes to renew and transform you – this is not wasted time. You are on a pilgrimage on Earth to hopefully one day meet the Lord. Time on Earth spent renewing and transforming your heart and mind is never wasted.

In a non-stop, productivity-worshipping, digitally distracted atmosphere, slowing down and being still with God can come across as a waste of time. This is an absolute lie from the enemy that you must actively resist. There is nothing more important than focusing your attention on God, 1st. Prayer may at first seem like just another chore until you start to experience a peace that surpasses all understanding and a budding relationship with Jesus, the most beautiful thing you can have.

Blog written by Dana Hornor Mosolgo copyright 2025