Stewarding Time with Eternal Purpose
By Rooted Africa (
Jonathan Edwards had committed to God's glory in every action (Resolution 4) and to fresh ways of pursuing it (Resolution 2). Now he turned to one of life's most limited resources: time itself. At nineteen, he saw time not as endless but as a precious gift to be used wisely for God's purposes.
Resolution 5Resolved, never to lose one moment; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
In simple terms, Edwards resolved never to waste even a single moment, but to use every one in the most beneficial, fruitful way possible. This resolution flows from his earlier ones—since life's aim is God's glory and eternal good, time (our only non-renewable asset) must serve that end. Edwards viewed idleness or misspent moments as contrary to devotion; he wanted every second to count toward something lasting.Why This Matters TodayWe live in an age of constant distraction—endless notifications, procrastination, mindless scrolling. Edwards challenges us: Am I truly redeeming the time, or letting it slip away? Time lost is gone forever, but time invested in prayer, Scripture, relationships, work, or rest that honours God yields eternal fruit. This isn't about frantic busyness. It's about intentionality—choosing what truly matters in light of eternity.Applying Resolution 5 Practically
References for Further Reading
@kateyakli
)Jonathan Edwards had committed to God's glory in every action (Resolution 4) and to fresh ways of pursuing it (Resolution 2). Now he turned to one of life's most limited resources: time itself. At nineteen, he saw time not as endless but as a precious gift to be used wisely for God's purposes.
Resolution 5Resolved, never to lose one moment; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
In simple terms, Edwards resolved never to waste even a single moment, but to use every one in the most beneficial, fruitful way possible. This resolution flows from his earlier ones—since life's aim is God's glory and eternal good, time (our only non-renewable asset) must serve that end. Edwards viewed idleness or misspent moments as contrary to devotion; he wanted every second to count toward something lasting.Why This Matters TodayWe live in an age of constant distraction—endless notifications, procrastination, mindless scrolling. Edwards challenges us: Am I truly redeeming the time, or letting it slip away? Time lost is gone forever, but time invested in prayer, Scripture, relationships, work, or rest that honours God yields eternal fruit. This isn't about frantic busyness. It's about intentionality—choosing what truly matters in light of eternity.Applying Resolution 5 Practically
- Audit your day: Where are moments slipping away? Replace them with purposeful activity.
- Prioritise: Ask, “Does this glorify God and build lasting good?”
- Plan intentionally: Use mornings or evenings to map out how to steward time well.
- Rest purposefully: Even rest can honour God when it refreshes for service.
- Rely on grace: Edwards knew he needed God's help to live this out—pray for wisdom in time use.
- What one habit wastes time that I could redeem this week?
- How would viewing each moment as irreplaceable change my priorities?
- Where do I need God's help to steward time better?
@kateyakli
).We continue next with Resolution 6.References for Further Reading
- Full text of Edwards' Resolutions: https://www.jonathan-edwards.org/Resolutions.html
- "The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards" (Desiring God): https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards
- Ligonier Ministries overview: https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/resolutions-jonathan-edwards
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