Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12
A day without intention is a day wasted.
I typed that quote and immediately thought of all the days and weekends I wasted in my post-college years. I’d go out with friends on Friday, devouring all the unhealthy food, drinks, and conversations that came my way. On Saturday, I’d sleep in, choosing to rest off the night before and opting to nap, binge-watch Law and Order: SVU and consume all the salty, fatty, and fried food my hands could grab (or have delivered). By Sunday I’d be guilt-ridden, realizing I’d wasted my time and health and the chance to set my future self up for greater success. Yet by the next Friday, I’d start the weekend process over again, having long forgotten my recent Sunday epiphany. I let my temporary cravings outweigh my long-term perspective.
Can you relate?
I think we’ve all had seasons in our lives when our health and our future weren’t in our frame of reference. We say things like “diet starts on Monday” and “I’ll think about quitting that habit tomorrow” but in reality, we’re making choices today that our future self will have to live with. We have health procrastination.
While the Bible has intentional verses about the way we treat our bodies (see 1 Corinthians 6:19 for the typical “Your body is a temple” reference), I want to get to the heart of the matter: our perspective about “time.” More often than not, when we do things that aren’t healthy or life-giving for ourselves, we’re not thinking about the consequences of that decision and how it could affect us in the long run. We’re not slowing down long enough to number our days.
Today’s verse from Proverbs chapter 90, verse 12, features an author who asks the Lord for help in gaining an intentional mindset. To me, that verse signifies the need to understand just how precious and few our days are, and to prioritize the time we do have to pursue the things that matter in the long-run. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Getting specific, what does it mean to number our days? It means choosing nourishment over cravings. It means thinking about how our decisions affect our future (and our family, friends, and faith). Numbering our days means becoming the person today that you want to be tomorrow.
Our future selves will either thank us or resent us for the choices we’re making today. Let’s make the hard, but satisfying decision to choose what is lasting over what gives us quick pleasure.
Reflection Questions
- What are some unhealthy habits or routines you know the Lord is calling you to turn over to Him?
- List three healthy habits or ideas you want to implement in your daily routine to set your future self up for success.
- Write the name of an accountability partner or friend who can help you prioritize your health (mental and physical) and turn away from bad habits standing in your way.
Meet the Author:
Jantzen Jolly-Miller is a small business marketing consultant and the founder of Emerge Church Solutions, a firm providing consulting and marketing services for churches who are structuring to grow. In addition to blogging for Wheat and Honey Co., she writes about personal takeaways from her life and faith walk to help women lead authentic lives and create positive change in their everyday routines on her IG @jantzenmiller and at JantzenJollyMiller.com.
