We live in an age of great busyness. The Wise Man Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1 about finding “a time for every activity under heaven.” How do Christians handle the problem of having much to do and little time in which to do it?

First, we must never be too busy to do the things God has specifically told us to do. His commands must be obeyed, regardless of how busy we are. God demands that we devote time to prayer, to the study of His Word, to caring for others, and to gathering together to worship Him.

Examine your life. Are you faithfully obeying those commands? If you are not, then make obeying God the highest of your priorities. When you have done that, fulfill your responsibilities as a spouse, parent, employer or employee, neighbor, and friend. Accomplish those obligations cheerfully and in a way that blesses other people.

If you are obeying God, fulfilling your responsibilities to others, and actively blessing the people in your world, ease up on the self-condemnation. God does not demand more of us than we are able to give.

Next, examine your life for time-wasters. Are you watching several hours of television every day or playing electronic games non-stop or surfing the Internet when other people or things need your attention? If you are, make a conscious decision to use free time in a more productive way.

Third, ask yourself the following questions. Have I set my standards for housekeeping or job performance too high? Do I say yes to requests before taking time to evaluate their importance? Do I stay up too late and then oversleep most mornings? Do I give other people too much control over my time? Am I over-committed, inflexible, or self-indulgent? Work hard to eliminate these bad habits from your life.

Finally, in all these things, take care of yourself. Rest, recreate, and nourish your spiritual, emotional and physical selves. “You can’t pour from an empty cup. You have to look after yourself first in order to have something to offer others.” (Tarryne West)

If you examine yourself by the criteria given above and conclude most of your time is well spent, please stop bemoaning the fact that you can’t do everything. Give yourself credit for the good time-use choices you make as you live a rich and fruitful life.

We need to distinguish between a life that is too busy and a life that is merely full. The first is a problem that needs to be addressed. The second is a blessing.