Time Passes Anyway

In this season of obedience and really focusing on doing what the Lord has called me to, I have had some profound revelations. I’d like to share one with you today. This one came to me when I was walking every day. When I started, I could only walk for ten minutes. I wanted to be able to walk for an hour. It took me an entire month, but I was able to walk two miles in just under an hour. As I was working up to this goal, I realized the time passes anyway.

How many times have I had writing or fitness or horse goals that went unmet? It wasn’t because time stopped. In fact, the time passed anyway.

What about when I get in a funk and things fall to the wayside? The time passes anyway. This epiphany sounds so small as I try to convey it in this space. But it hit me profoundly, especially where my health and writing and homemaking are concerned.

The time passes anyway. It’s going to keep marching on whether I make the most of it, just suffer through it, or become oblivious to it. The time is going to keep ticking by and I can become better, stagnant, or backslide. Where my health is concerned, I really struggle. I’d like to say I do my best, but I don’t. I’ve gained a lot of weight, lost a lot of muscle, and I can feel it in every part of my body.

I worked myself up to walking two miles in about an hour, and then quit walking. I didn’t set a “next” goal. I’ve been thinking about that the last few days because it’s been a couple of months. It also means it’s been a couple of months since I had my epiphany.

As someone who lives with an incurable condition (Chiari Malformation I), I sometimes find myself in too much pain to accomplish much. But I’ve been working hard to learn my realistic threshold for working through pain and discomfort. Overdoing has proven dangerous and created a lot of crazy symptoms that seem to be best regulated by pacing myself, being mindful of my energy, and equally as mindful of my exertion.

In the same sense, underdoing has proven to be mentally terrible for me. When I am not accomplishing enough, I start to really beat myself up mentally. I’m learning to be kind and have grace for myself.

Which brings me back to how the time passes anyway. Regardless of what I’m doing or not doing, the time passes anyway. Whether I feel well or don’t feel well, the time passes anyway. My hope and prayer and focus is to use the time wisely.

Seeking the Lord is wise.
Rest is wise.
Writing is wise.
Exercise is wise.
Cleaning the house is wise.
Time spent with my husband and children is wise.

I will try to be mindful of where I waste time. I will try to mindful of where I use time for less important tasks. I will try to be aware of the excuses I use. I will let myself rest when I need it. The time passes anyway. Do I want to be active in choosing what I do with the time? The answer is yes, absolutely.

This has become the most profound for me in my writing – making sure that I’m writing every single day. I’m also trying to apply it to my health. The time passes anyway – do I want to get another six months down the road and be in the same physical condition I am now? No, not really. I want to be stronger, healthier, and feeling better.

How can you be more mindful of the way time passes and more intentional with what you do with the time you are given?

Until next time,