It's About Time

It's something we spend and sometimes waste but we cannot save or borrow it nor do we really know how much we have. Time is a gift from our Heavenly Father as well as agency. It is up to us to use both wisely. We are commanded to be "anxiously engaged" in good causes but also we are not required to "run faster than [we have] strength" (Mosiah 4:27). We are told “Thou shalt not idle away thy time” (D&C 60:13), and “Cease to be idle” (D&C 88:124), yet with modern conveniences we have far more discretionary time than our predecessors.

What do we do with our free time? We are either being leisurely or idle. Leisure activities renew the soul, invigorate, refresh, invite us to be mentally, physically or creatively involved. Idleness is merely passing the time. Boredom, unhappiness and feelings of low self esteem are the results of idling our time away. Idleness is the devil's workshop. When we are being idle, we rely on outside sources to entertain us. Leisure activities require us to look within ourselves. Although what may be considered idleness, (i.e. watching sports, reading a book, "doodling" on paper) to one person may be leisure to another. It is an individual choice but no matter what the activity, if the end result affects us positively then it is time well spent.

In this day, many spend their free time on the Internet. There is a vast library of knowledge out there in cyberspace. It is up to us to use our agency to determine if time spent on the Internet is of any value. We could use the leisure vs idle filter and apply it to our Internet use. Are we increasing our knowledge of useful things? If we are merely just "taking a break", are we "breaking" too long? We would do well to ask ourselves the two questions Elder Bednar recently asked BYU students,
“Does the use of various technologies and media Invite or Impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?
Does the time you spend using various technologies and media Enlarge or Restrict your capacity to live to love and to serve in meaningful ways?

You don't know how much you have, so use your time well.