How Should We Spend Our Time?
“The pursuit of personal holiness was at the head of the list for the Puritans because they believed that their conformity to Christlikeness brought glory to God.”
— Steven Lawson, Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God
Richard Baxter was a 17th century Puritan pastor, author, and theologian. Baxter applied holiness and Christlikeness to every nook and cranny of his life, including his time. During this pandemic, we may find ourselves with more time than usual. We would encourage you to ask yourself, in light of all that Baxter writes: How am I spending my time?
Richard Baxter wrote practical directions for redeeming our time in A Christian Directory: Christian Ethics:
If you lose the time in which should be renewed by the Spirit of Christ, and in which you should lay up your treasure in heaven, you are lost for ever. . . See first that the necessary work be done; when that is done, you may go quietly and cheerfully about the rest: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness;” oh what a deal is done when this is done!
Live continually as under the government of God and keep conscience tender, and in the performance of its office; and always be ready to render an account to God and conscience of what you do. If you live as under the government of God, you will still be doing his work, you will be remembering his judgement, you will be trying your work whether it be such as he approveth. This will keep you from all of the time-wasting vanities.
If you keep conscience to its office, it will ask you frequently, what are you doing? And how have you spent every hour? And (as Seneca could say) “He will be the more careful what he doth, and how he spends the day, who looks to be called to a reckoning for it every night.”
Spend your time in nothing which you know must be repented of. Spend it in nothing which you would not review at the hour of death, by an awakened, well-informed mind. Spend it in nothing which you would not hear of in the day of judgement. Spend it in nothing which you cannot safely and comfortably be found doing, if death should surprise you in the act.
Spend it in nothing which hath not some tendency, directly or remotely, to your ultimate end, the pleasing of God and enjoying him in love for ever.
(Richard Baxter)
We hope and pray that you can look back on this season of life as a time where you sought the Lord, grew in Christlikeness and personal holiness; that you may say, “The Lord met with me in that season.”