Time to Enjoy

Have you noticed how fast time passes? Do you ever wonder where your day or your week went? Do you find yourself saying – I cannot believe it is already a new month or a new year? Our lives are flying by and if we are not careful, we will miss them.

Even though there are some seasons we would happily skip over, most of us would love to be able to slow down time. Unfortunately, we don’t have the power to add extra hours to our days, days to our weeks, or months to our years. But there is something we do have control over, and that is how well we use our time.

I believe that part of the reason time blurs together is because we don’t allow ourselves to enjoy what is in front of us. Sometimes we are so busy we don’t even notice what is happening. We miss the beauty. We miss what makes today distinctive. We miss the people and the relationships we can develop. We miss opportunities.

Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon is examining life and realizes that much of our time is spent on futile things. Listen to his advice, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.” (Ecclesiastes 11:9 NASB)

Even though Solomon is specifically addressing young people here, the principles apply to everyone. Let’s look a little closer at his advice.

Solomon begins with a command. “Rejoice.”

If you want to fully experience life, you have to find joy in every day. “Rejoice” is a response to seeing and savoring what is happening in and around us right now. When we believe that happiness is only in our future, we are robbing ourselves of joy.

When our minds are consumed, our calendars are full, and we don’t give ourselves time to think or enjoy life we are in trouble. In order to rejoice, you have to learn to slow down and appreciate today.

Then Solomon gives some advice. “Let your heart be pleasant during the days of your manhood.”

Don’t you love this description of the heart? Pleasant. “Rejoice” is an action that overflows from a heart of gratitude. A heart that is good, right, and true. A heart that can appreciate today. A heart that is ready to experience life.

Not too surprisingly I have found that rushing through life has a way of removing the pleasantness from my heart. Or maybe sometimes I am rushing to escape from the unpleasantness in my heart. Either way, almost every time my schedule is too full I find my heart is unhealthy. If I look closely I will see that I have become self-focused, negative, unhappy… and the list can go on and on.

If you want to have a full and meaningful life, you cannot ignore the condition of your heart. The healthier your heart the greater the quality of your life.

I love this part – Solomon continues. “Follow the impulses of your heart and the desire of your eyes.”

It is not a bad thing to have a good time! It is not a bad thing to enjoy life! It is not a bad thing to follow your impulses!

Some of us can be too serious. We spend all our time planning and worrying about the future that we miss the opportunities right in front of us. Or we spend so much time re-living our past mistakes and failures that we aren’t able to succeed today.

God created us to have desires and dreams, to enjoy, and to appreciate. He designed us to laugh and love. He fills our lives with opportunities to follow our heart and experience good and pleasant things.

Then Solomon gives this parameter. “Know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.”

Enjoyment and God’s will are not opposites, but it is important to remember that we are accountable for the choices we make. Not every desire is good, and not every feeling should be acted on. When our heart has an impulse or our eyes see an opportunity we need to filter and make God-honoring choices.

I think of Paul’s advice to the Philippines, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8) Before you take action, consider God. If you know that what you are doing is wrong, will cause someone grief or pain, or does not align with God’s character – choose another path.

Our lives are not meant to be experienced at break-neck speed. They are meant to be enjoyed. Joy is found when we slow down and see, when we embrace the little things and the big things right in front of us, when we appreciate the people God has surrounded us with, and when we live our lives in a way that reflects God’s goodness.

Don’t forget to take time to enjoy!