Excerpt
Time is the one resource that cannot be stored, replaced, or recovered once it passes.
Intro
People often think the most valuable things on earth are oil, gold, or rare resources. Yet there is something even more valuable and far more fragile: time. Every day we are given a fixed number of hours, and once they pass, they never return.
In life, it is easy to delay important things. We tell ourselves we will exercise tomorrow, finish a task later, or reach out to someone another day. But the gospel teaches us that time is sacred and should be used wisely.
Notes from Scripture
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:16
Paul taught the Saints to live carefully and wisely. Part of that wisdom is learning to redeem time—to reclaim it from distractions and use it for things that truly matter.
Elder Ian S. Ardern taught:
“Time is never for sale; time is a commodity that cannot, try as you may, be bought at any store for any price. Yet when time is wisely used, its value is immeasurable. On any given day we are all allocated, without cost, the same number of minutes and hours to use, and we soon learn, as the familiar hymn so carefully teaches, ‘Time flies on wings of lightning; we cannot call it back’ (‘Improve the Shining Moments,’ Hymns, no. 226). What time we have we must use wisely.”
“A Time to Prepare,” General Conference, October 2011
The Book of Mormon also warns against delaying spiritual action.
“If we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.”
Alma 34:33
Perspective
Procrastination often appears harmless. We think postponing something small will not matter. But small delays accumulate and slowly shape the direction of our lives.
In my own life, I have learned that discipline matters. Whether it is boxing early in the morning, maintaining clean nutrition, or solving difficult IT problems, delay rarely helps. In technology, procrastination can cause systems to fail, security issues to grow, and problems to multiply. Acting promptly often prevents larger problems later.
The same principle applies spiritually. Prompt obedience and timely action protect us from unnecessary regret.
President Thomas S. Monson once taught:
“Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say ‘I love you’ more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, and loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted—until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of ‘what if’ and ‘if only.’ Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, ‘The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.’”
These reminders teach us that redeeming time is not only about productivity—it is about love, relationships, and living intentionally.
Practice (today, not someday)
Today I will redeem my time. I will act on the good things that come to mind rather than postponing them. I will focus on the activities that strengthen my faith, my health, my work, and my relationships.
Final Reflection
Time quietly shapes the course of our lives. When used wisely, even ordinary days can become meaningful and purposeful.
Pocket I’m Keeping
Time redeemed today becomes peace tomorrow.
What I Hear Now
“Time flies on wings of lightning; we cannot call it back.”
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