Redeeming the Time in Hobbies

Examining God’s Word

“See then that ye walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Ephesians 5:15-17

Evaluating Our Garden

Killing time is not the same as spending time. The first is wasteful and the second is purposeful. If we are to redeem our time, by walking circumspectly and wisely because of the evil in this world, we can’t waste our days killing the time we were given to use and enjoy.

Let’s take a moment to consider what we’re doing with our hobbies. How do we use our down time? Do we veg-out and do nothing, run in circles, endlessly scroll social media, or overschedule our days off? Are our hobbies useful and enjoyable, or do they stress us out and waste our resources and efforts?

Hobbies can be costly and time-consuming. That’s why we have to wisely keep them in balance and make sure they contribute good to our lives.

Experiencing Seasons

Over the course of many life-transitions along my journey, there have been days when I’ve mindlessly killed time. I’ve wasted time waiting—waiting on answers, waiting on others, waiting for a conflict to pass, waiting for a relationship to be mended, waiting for more funds to proceed, waiting for the right time, waiting for the right mood, waiting to feel better, waiting to lose weight, waiting for better weather, waiting to learn how, and waiting for no good reason at all.

I regret all the time I’ve wasted waiting. The older I get the more I realize that time passes quickly and I have less time to kill.

I don’t want to do things just to kill time. I want to spend my life doing good things that bring joy to my heart, home, and those around me.

Embracing Solace

Our Creator gave us time to live on this earth. We can use it to participate in activities that bring solace, or that create chaos. We can waste it or spend it wisely.

Enjoying Simplicity

Hobbies can become obsessions, if we’re not careful. We can go overboard and allow them to consume more time than we can afford or take away from our responsibilities. Imbalance causes complications.

Employing Solutions

Spending our time doing the good things God instructs us to do, like living holy, loving Him and others, tending to our homes, being hospitable, producing Godly fruit, and enjoying the fruit of our labors is the best use of our time. God doesn’t teach us that life is all work, no play. He gave us things to enjoy:

“And, also that every man should
eat and drink, and enjoy
the good of all his labour,
it is the gift of God.”
Ecclesiastes 3:13

We have to budget our time, just like we do our money, or we will waste or spend more that we have to spare.

Some good ways to enjoy hobbies is to incorporate them into our daily routines and relationships. We can use our hobbies to:

• Enjoy God’s blessings
• Connect with others
• Build relationships
• Share Christ
• Relieve stress
• Ease sadness
• Bring joy
• Provide for needs
• Give personalized gifts
• Improve skills

Making good use of our time, with whatever passions and interests we have, is a creative way to redeem our time in useful ways and overcome the evil we face.

Bring It Home

Do your hobbies kill your time, or spend your time wisely?

Praying for you as we grow together…
Smiles, BRC