We are all guilty. Guilty of wasting our time. Our days and nights. We waste words. We waste money. We waste our talents. We waste so much on things that just don't matter.
Drugs. Drinking. Words. Material things. Anger. Bitterness. Jealousy. Time. Hate. Opportunities.
Wasted days and wasted nights. Countless days and nights I'll never get back. You'll never get back. May have seemed like fun at the time but it certainly didn't add any days or nights to my life. By the grace of God he allowed me to have more days and nights to "make up" for the foolish decisions I made that wasted so much of my life. I'm not saying let's all live with regrets but we are all guilty of wasting something. God can and will use our mistakes. He will use our failures. He will use our "wasted time" for His glory. But at some point, we need to choose to be wiser. Make better decisions so that we don't waste away our days and nights.
I asked social media, because it's always the quickest for responses, what they consider to have wasted in their lives. For the most part, time seemed to be the most popular response but there were those that had some different answers.
From an addicts point of view - time. Time spent in jail because of decisions made while high. Time missed. Time that they chose to spend for a moments satisfaction instead of time with their kids. More of us may fit into this category than would like to admit. Some of us may have spent weeks, months, or years in the party scene, going no where but downhill, and fast while dragging others along.
What about time with the wrong people or toxic people as one person put it? Time spent in an abusive relationship. Once again, yes, God can use your story but from this day forward, we can choose our circle more wisely. Those that suck the life out of us add nothing to our lives. The negative Nancy's in your life, don't continue to let them poison you. Sometimes it is hard to rid yourselves of the wrong people or toxic people. Perhaps it's someone you love. Maybe it's family. But time around the wrong crowd isn't going to add value to your life.
What about another perspective. Wasted relationships that you could have but don't make an effort to mend? A relationship between a mother and daughter or a mother and son. A father and his son or daughter. Best friends. Siblings. I am willing to bet someone right now reading this is wasting a relationship. Why not swallow your pride and make amends?
Times of complacency. I loved this one. Rather than experiencing all that God has for us in life, we settle. And sometimes for less than God's best. Wasted opportunities because we told ourselves, "this will do."
Wasted calories. May seem silly to some but for those that are trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle and perhaps lose a little weight, this matters. You could enjoy a nice cheat meal or a Route 44 peach sweet tea.
Wasted days that we we aren't truly living -- not letting go of our past. Holding on to anger or bitterness. This is a waste. How many days or years have you wasted because you didn't agree with someone and lost that relationship? Not forgiving yourself is a waste. How many have lost friends or loved ones and never reconciled? I'd consider that a waste. Wouldn't you?
Wasted talent. I'm pretty sure we all know someone with incredible talent that never uses it. I know so many that were blessed with phenomenal athletic abilities that wasted them. I'm not referring to those that chose to use their brains over their talent but those that do nothing and did nothing with it. Those that are musically inclined that never pick up another instrument or sing. Wasted time is different than living with no regrets. We can't change our past. We can learn. We can teach others what we took away from our mistakes. But we can and do continue to waste so much each day. We may make a conscious effort not to waste anything or we may honestly just not think about it.
A wasted passion. Don't think that your passion wasn't given to you for a purpose. What drives you? Why aren't you doing anything to pursue your dreams? What excites you? Don't let it go to waste. Use it!
So many wasted days and wasted nights... May we never look at someone and say, " What a waste."
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