A Challenge

Hello.
So, despite the fact that lately there are moments in my life when I feel like a little, fuzzy bumblebee buzzing here and there and everywhere (and back again), and disregarding those nights when I crash into bed either too tired to snore or too exhausted to sleep (yes, this does happen, unfortunately), I have decided that these next few months will most likely be the least frantic months of the rest of my life.
This thought tends to scare me.

Although I have been incredibly busy (to my way of thinking) for the past while, I have also realized that I really have a great amount of time to myself.

I have a confession. It’s something you probably could have figured out (being the incredibly bright people that you are), but just in case you haven’t come to this conclusion regarding my character, I’ll let you in on a secret.
I really enjoy down time. I like to sit in my bright room with the windows open and listen to the birds and read or write or journal or blog. Quaint, am I not? And recently, I’ve begun to realize that I should spend more of this time talking with, learning about, and contemplating on God. So I’ve tried to do so. As a result, something cool has happened.
God has begun to bless my efforts. Actually, He began to bless them the very first night I sat down and gave Him more time than I usually did. Generally, I like to do my quiet time in the morning, before I do school work or any of the other things on my list, because I want to give my day over to Him straight away. I’ve done this for a few years, but recently I have been getting upset that I haven’t been moving forward in my relationship, and I’ve been wondering how to change that.
A few weeks ago I had an epiphany.
I give my mornings to God, but to whom do I give my afternoons and my evenings?

To me, I give them to me.

As a result of this enlightening reflection, I decided to try and have two more “quiet times” in my day. So, now when I finish my homework and have nothing really pressing on my mind, urging me to get up and get accomplishing, I have a second, slightly more contemplative time with God. He’s really using this time. It’s pretty exciting.
Now I’m working on having some quiet time right before I go to bed. I’ve got a couple of instructive, inspiring books that I’m going through and so I’ll read a chapter or two and then pray. This helps me to focus on “what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy" (Philippians 4:8)--which is a nice way to fall asleep.

In conclusion, I’ve realized that this is the time in my life when I have very little to worry about (though it doesn’t seem so at times) other than my relationship with Jesus Christ. Next year, once I’m in college, this free time will disappear. I know that I will always make time for Him, but that time might never be as free from distraction and pressing cares as this time is now. I must take advantage of the time that I have been given. I must seize the day.
Right now is a gift with a purpose. This is my time to draw near to Christ. I would be a complete fool to let it slip away.

Many of you are in the same boat. This is God’s time. Give Him what is His due. Squelch the misconception that we own our time. Our time is God’s. If we draw near to Him, he has promised to draw near to us. It follows that the more we draw near to Him, the more He will draw near to us.

He's ready to take us higher, to bring us deeper, to move us farther. Let's not keep Him waiting.