Five More Minutes

FIVE MORE MINUTES

By: C. Mason Davis

A man climbs to the top of a hill to have a conversation with God. The man asks, "God, for you, how long is a thousand years?" God replies, "For me, a thousand years is only five minutes." The man then asks, "And for you, how much is a million dollars?" God replies, "For me, a million dollars is only five cents." The man, with a hopeful glint in his eye, asks, "Well then, God... could you lend me five cents, please?" Then God says, "Of course, my son. Give me five minutes!"

Today’s Scripture

James 5:7-11 says, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

What these verses are stating is that everything happens and comes in God’s time. We must deal with whatever comes when it happens as there are no do-overs.

In today’s competitive environment everyone gives more priority to winning and being the best, both personally and professionally. People have hectic routines to achieve their goals in life. You should always ensure to maintain a good work life balance. Spend some time with your family members and friends. No matter how busy things get, don’t forget to spend time with people that matter to you! It’s very sad when family members stop talking to each other. The day will come when you regret it. It’s called a funeral. Paul tells us that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 states: “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” Thus, regret can draw us to salvation.

Time is a funny thing, specifically Dads, as they always saying things like 'There’s no time!' when he’s trying to get the little ones dressed in the morning, and he begs for 'Five more minutes' when they’re jumping on his bed, trying to make him wake up. Another great message to learn from your past mistakes are to accept them and ensure not to repeat them in the future. Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. So, be proactive rather than reactive. All that matters in the end is that you loved the one’s you’ve lost and that those lost loved you. May the tears you cried last year water the seeds you’re planting this year.

I have found that most of the people say they are earning a good living by doing hard work to support their family. I agree that money is an important aspect for their education and other needs but ensure to spare some time out of your busy schedule to spend with them. Be it playing along with them, going to movies, play zones in malls or cycling along with them, will help in enhancing bonding and also lessen stress for yourself. Life is a race, it’s all about making priorities. Give someone you love five more minutes of your time today and see the difference; no matter how busy or late you are.

Patience is a spirit of serenity in the face of adversity. The spirit of serenity is a calmness of senses that everything is okay. Now for some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the amount of patience you have today is not the amount of patience you're stuck with. It’s not fixed. It's not like there's patient people and impatient people, and if I didn't get a heavy dose of patience when God was doling out spiritual gifts and attributes and personalities, then I just have to learn to cope with the gifts that God did bless me with.

Patience in people is built, not something you’re born with. You can grow in having patience. That's the good news. The bad news is that the only way to grow in your patience is to face vexing circumstances, difficult people, difficult situations, where you feel depleted of all strength. Isaiah 40:31 states: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." That’s the biblical definition of patience. What you must do is ask God to bless you with more patience. Then, believe he's answered your request, even though you won't feel any more patient, and practice as though your prayer has been answered. By becoming more patient and less controled, you won’t be blinded by your tasks or schedules to the point that you don’t notice all the other’s in need of five more minutes of your time as you race to do other things.