DON'T JUST COUNT THE DAYS BUT MAKE YOUR DAYS COUNT IN 2020 AND BEYOND

"Teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12

As the year begins and seems to be running fast, so many people are scared, anxious and worried of how the days of the year will go by for them or how the year will end up for them again. Some already started the year on a rough note which tends to breed anxiety in them. Some sit down everyday in self pity counting the days and taking note of dates in the calendar, worrying about how time flies, how their years/age are fast running and how little or nothing is done, accomplished or achieved. We all have concerns or things that tend to make us worry. Things we dread or fear that might happen or will not happen to us and as a result we just keep counting the days and going with the days as they come with nothing meaningful to be proud of. The Psalmist asked God that He teaches us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, meaning we are not just to count the days as they come but to make the days count as well. Applying your heart to wisdom as you count the days is what makes your days count. Lets not just count the days in the calendar worrying about how we are getting old, worrying about what has happened and what has not happened to us but make deliberate efforts to make our days count as we maximize the 24 hours time given to us each day we get to see.

We all have 24 hours allocated to each of us in a day. No one is given more time or less time. What makes the difference is what each of us do with the 24 hours time given to us. The rich has 24 hours in a day, so is the poor. Any time lost can never be regained. Ben Franklin once said " Lost time is never found again." There are times I have lost that I wish I should have done some things but those times can never be regained, I can only make effective use of the time I have now and ensure no time is wasted again.

When it comes to the number of days, we are sure not allocated same number of days to live on earth. We are only given same number of time for each day we get to see. The number of days we get to live are known by God only. "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before they came to be." Psalm 139:16b. Each of us have appointed time to live here on earth. There are those who live long and healthy lives while there those who live short lives but while we are alive and bubbling in sound health, let's not just number our days but make our days count by applying our hearts to wisdom. Maximize your time and life while on earth. That's why the psalmist "Teach us Lord to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalm (90:12). Time is one of the limited resources we have in life therefore lets make each time count to have a fulfilled life in 2020 and beyond. When we make each time we have in a day count, then we make that day count as well leading to a fulfilled life here on earth.

HERE IS HOW TO MAKE YOUR DAYS COUNT IN 2020 AND BEYOND



MAKE GOD YOUR PRIORITY : One of the best ways to make your time and days count, is making God your number one priority. Let God's general purpose for your life be your top most priority which will in turn govern other priorities you set for yourself. Making God your priority will include loving Him with the whole of your heart irrespective of the circumstance you find yourself in, loving others,  serving others etc. Make time each day to to be with God in prayers and in His word. Making God your priority also makes you realise that you can do or accomplish nothing without Him. This knowledge makes you hand your goals, time and days here on earth to God in prayers that you live a fulfilled life at the end of the day. It also makes you set your priorities right and making them go in line with God's word."Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33).

MANAGE YOUR TIME WELL : One way to make your day count is making use of your time well or managing your time well. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 states " There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." and it goes on when you continue reading the chapter. In making good use of your time, it is not just about productivity but also in making a balance with your time. You have time within the 24 hours in which you need to be productive and a time to rest. There is time to spend with loved ones and a time to focus on projects. There is time to go out and have some fun and there is time to just sit back, reflect on life and the goals set to achieve. In those hours of productivity, ensure each time counts. The bottom line is using your time effectively. Time is precious and a gift from God for us to do all that He has purposed for us to do. God created the whole earth allocating each goal He had in mind to different days and on the seventh day He rested. God had time when He worked and time when He rested making the days count. Same thing is expected of us as we try to make everyday count.


MAKE WISE DECISIONS : Another way in making your day count, is making wise decisions each day of your life instead of making unwise decisions. Do not be in a hurry to make sensitive decisions. Ensure to sit down and think about the possible outcome of every every decision before taking action. Most importantly, is handing your decisions over to God for divine direction. Not every party you are meant to attend, not every invitation you are meant to honour and not every battle your are meant to fight. Avoid making harmful decisions. Every decision to be taken should be well thought out and planned as well. Luke 14:28 says "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost whether he has enough to complete it." Make wise decisions today so you don't regret your tomorrow.

LIVE YOUR LIFE WELL : "Be very careful, then how you live -  not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15-17). One of the best decisions you can make for yourself is to decide to live a good and meaningful life. Decide intentionally not to live a reckless life but to consciously and cautiously live everyday of your life as it comes. The days are evil enough not live wisely and not to live under the mighty wings of God. One of the wisest decisions you will ever make in making your days count is living under the covering of God and trusting Him for everyday of your life. We live in a sinful world with evil people all over the place. The choices we make today, determine how our tomorrow would turn out to be. Some of us are living our lives today as a consequence of how we lived our lives yesterday and the decisions we took negatively or positively.


BE SENSITIVE TO EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE THE MOST OF THEM : "Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."(Ephesians 5:16). We need to be sensitive with the times as opportunities tend to come our way everyday of our lives and then make effective use of every opportunity given to us. Opportunity lost may never be regained. According to Carl Sandburg "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." If you fail to find time to spend with your loved ones now, you may never find the time again or by the time you do, it might be too late and you end up having just a very short time to do so. If you are not sensitive enough to see opportunities for you to grab in order to achieve your set goals and live your dream life, that opportunity may never arrive again. One way for you to be sensitive to opportunities that come your way is by living right and wisely as mentioned earlier. Late Jim Rohn once said "You attract opportunities by the skills you have, the discipline you have, the character and reputation you have established, the language and speech you use. All you need is personal development to not just improve yourself but to attract opportunities." So, in order to be very sensitive to opportunities is by developing and working on yourself, have a good reputation by living right and speaking right to people. Develop your talent and skills by working on them daily. The Bible says "Seest thou a man diligent in his work, he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men." (Proverbs 22:29). Your gifts, skills and talents can bring good opportunities your way, so keep working on your skills. This will enable you not to easily let go of opportunities. Some opportunities come in small packages. Never discard these little opportunities but make effective use of them as it is these little opportunities that give way to bigger opportunities.

Maximise your life daily by making effective use of the daily 24 hours time given to you so you can increase your impact here on earth and be the person God created you to be.  Don't just count your days passing by, but consider your days for making something good in each day. Not making your days count is wasting the gifts and talents God has given to you. Create steps towards achieving your set goals by allocating time and days to them. No step is too little or great to start working on your dreams neither is it too early or late to live your dream life. Just get started with what you have and where you are. This way you apply your heart to wisdom and make your days count on earth. Most of all, don't spend your life worrying about what is happening and what is not happening. Do your bit and leave the rest to God. While you wait for one goal to come through for you, pursue other goals and get busy with life. Be happy with the time and days you have been given and be grateful to God for seeing them.

Quote for the day - "And in the end; it is not just the years in your life that count but the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln 

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