5 Things God Doesn't Want You Wasting Your Time On

Until that day we are in heaven with God, we live in these fallen, broken bodies in this fallen, broken world, subject to worldly feelings, thoughts and attitudes, not to mention the schemes and lies of Satan. Here are five things God doesn’t want us wasting our time on.

Loneliness

There is no deeper sadness that ever comes over the mind than the idea that we are alone in the world, that we do not have a friend, that no one cares for us, that no one is concerned about anything that might happen to us, that no one would care if we were to die or shed a tear over our grave.

Whatever the cause of loneliness, for the Christian the cure is always the same—the comforting presence and fellowship of Jesus. Our greatest and ultimate comfort comes in knowing he is our friend. If we look to him, call on him and follow him, he will always be our friend. He is always there. He wants to be with us, and us with him.

He first demonstrated his desire for friendship with us by laying down his very life for us. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:13-14).

And he has promised that he will always be with us and never leave us or forsake us but to be with us until the end. Obey everything I have commanded you, I am with you always to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

The greatest comfort I know is knowing Jesus is always with me. Is that hard for you to believe? It’s divine and supernatural - and it’s true! If you’re feeling lonely, know that you have the greatest friend you can possibly have. If you call on him, he will make himself known to you in many ways. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me (Revelation 3:20).

Guilt

There are two kinds of guilt - justified guilt and worldly guilt. Worldly guilt is filled with condemnation and hopelessness. It tells us that we are bad and nothing will make us good enough. It lies to us about the character of God and about who God says we are. And Satan uses guilty feelings to drive us away from God. But God doesn't want us being burdened by unjustified, worldly guilt.

Justified guilt is different. It can be the result of violating a law or rule, or when we cross a moral or ethical line. The question is whether we admit the guilt or deny it, covering it up and rationalize it. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

The reality is, all of us stand guilty before God. All of us think things, say things and do things that aren’t in line with God’s standard. But God is always faithful to forgive us whenever we humbly ask. That was the whole work of Jesus! To provide us a way to reconcile with God. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

And we are all wired with a way to know when we’ve done something wrong - by our conscience. God built it into every one of us to know right and wrong. So if you experience feelings of justified guilt - not those laid on you by the world - it is your God-given conscience working for you. And guilty feelings are useful when they drive us to repentance. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Don’t let guilty feelings fester. They will build up over time. Bring them before God, lay them down to him, receive the forgiveness made available by what Jesus did for us and move on with a clear conscience.

Fear

The Bible often says things like, “Do not fear,” “Do not be afraid,” and “Fear not.” But let's face it, in our flesh, fear can be very real and debilitating.

The fear the Bible tells us to avoid is concern mixed with anxiety or dread. It is the feeling of alarm we have when we expect trouble or danger - oftentimes it stems from uncertainty about the future and the thought of undesirable consequences. When the Bible tells us, “Do not fear,” it means we are not to allow anxiety or fretfulness to rule our lives or take root in our hearts. We are not to be people of panic. Rather, we are to be people of faith. When we're walking with faith in God, we have no reason to live in fear. At the same time, the biblical command do not fear does not negate the need for prudence and caution in this world. We are not to be cavalier but prayerful in the face of danger.

The key to managing fear is remembering the depth of God’s love for us and that his plans for us are always good. I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. in the end, we will be with him forever (Jeremiah 29:11). Instead of the fear, focus on the love God has for you. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:17-18).

What a beautiful illustration this is about God’s love for the world, for nature and for us. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:25-34).

Bitterness and Resentment

Let's face it, you know as well as I do, bitterness and resentment only hurt you. They are not a blessing. They affect your health and well being, and destroy relationships.

Bitterness is that state of mind that willfully holds on to angry feelings. Willfully means it's a choice we make. A choice to hold on to it, or to deal with it. Notice I didn't say let it go, we need to deal with it - then let it go. If we are ever to truly be an instrument of God's love, we have to rid ourselves of bitterness and resentment. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

Imagine if God were to hold resentment for us. That is, because we're not perfect, because of those things in our life that go against him, God, instead of offering his mercy, remained resentful toward us. He doesn't. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Consider what Jesus taught about this. He said, If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24). God doesn't want our gifts and works if we have resentment in our hearts. First, reconcile yourself with others.

You may have very legitimate issues with someone. That is why you have to deal with them, not just let them go. Resolve to do it. Jesus said, 'go' and be reconciled with them. It’s an action we have to take. And it doesn't mean we have to agree with them or be friends with them. It means we have to make every effort to reconcile with them. Then let it go.

Doubt

Doubt is an experience common to all people. Even those with faith in God struggle with doubt on occasion. Some spiritual teachers would say, “Doubt everything. Find your own light.” But if we take their advice, we would have to doubt what they said, which seems rather contradictory. Instead of taking the advice of skeptics and false teachers, trust what God’s Word says about you, about God, about how valuable you are to God and in his love for you.

Three things to do: Pray, Trust and Act

Pray - There is no magical formula for prayer. In the simplest of terms, prayer is staying in communication with God. Make it simple, like talking to a friend. And be sure, God already knows what you need, he just wants to know that you trust him enough to bring it to him. If you want to know more about prayer, see: “How Does Prayer Work?”.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8).

Trust - The remedy for doubt is faith, and faith grows when we trust God and see his faithfulness in our life. As you put your faith in God, pray and trust him and his Word, you will see him act in your life and know his love and faithfulness, and your faith will grow.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Act - Ultimately, we have to act - and therein lies the challenge. But the more you act on God’s Word and promises, and see him deliver, the easier it becomes. Think of it as “acting on God’s Word” rather than the terms “have faith” or “believe” because that is what faith actually is. Faith is simply acting on God’s Word — acting like it is true.