Daily Devotional: Time & Money
- David A. Case
- Feb 3
- 4 min read
By David A. Case
Life Sayings:
What I consistently care about is who I am.
What I hold on to holds on to me.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, NKJV)
Everything I do is a heart activity. When it is something I care about, it is even more revealing. Few things expose the heart like time and money. What matters more to me than my time or my money? The way I spend both will answer that question with uncomfortable honesty.
Practical actions can make all the difference in a spiritual walk. Major missteps in communication or sexuality can take a person down quickly. Two more areas that shape spiritual outcomes in powerful ways are time management and finances. Everything we do comes out of the heart, yet everything we do cycles back and writes upon the tablet of the heart. Actions repeated over time have the power to overrule good intentions. Good intentions cannot compete with a pattern.
Time has become the new money. The comment I hear most often is, “I’m so busy.” That sounds strange in a world filled with time-saving devices. The answer is choice and expectations. The more wealth and tools we have, the more choices we have. More choices produce more expectations. Unmet expectations produce frustration. Life becomes an increasing cycle of busyness and internal pressure.
Time is seldom prioritized by the greater good. Pleasure drives much of our culture. From foods that sizzle to constant video stimulation, the pull toward high-level sensory satisfaction grows stronger. People often give both time and money to whatever keeps them feeling satisfied. The heart follows that pattern and then begins to demand more of it.
A key to almost everything good in life is a realistic time perspective. In our work with addicts, few changes have been as important as helping men and women visualize a realistic time frame for recovery. Clear cycles show up again and again. Those who accept the process and plan for it have an excellent chance of success. Those who try to speed it up fail with heartbreaking consistency. The principle is simple. Growth takes time.
Waiting is a spiritual issue. Virtually every good thing I have ever received from God required waiting. Anything that came too quickly or too easily, I did not appreciate, or I credited it to myself. Either way, I shut down the exchange of receiving from God because I stopped relating to Him as the Source. Growth in God requires downtime. Quiet time. Waiting. Study. Listening. A life focused on God, not acting until He speaks.
From there, time management becomes a matter of priority and patience. Everything I truly want at a deep level will take longer than I imagine. The key is to allow much more time than I think I need. Why do things that matter take so long? Everything good flows from spiritual growth. Anything worthwhile requires character strong enough to support it. Money rarely comes quickly. Character does not come quickly. Delays often become God’s tool for building who I am.
Most time management comes down to giving energy to true priorities and starving what is not. It means goals, a plan, and order. The first part of the plan is giving God His time. If I do not give God His time, my other efforts gradually lose effectiveness. God resists the proud. Pride says, “I can handle this without God.” Pride turns into frustration, then becomes the excuse, “I’m too busy to give time to God.” The heart cannot thrive on that path.
Giving time to God includes rest and becoming still enough to sense His presence. Being still before God must become normal. What is normal for many is a flooding of the senses and a thousand voices competing with the voice of God. I need to give God enough time so listening is not difficult. Listening becomes the way I live.
The rest of my priorities should be directed by God for the good of all. My life is not my own. Love spends time with God, then spends time for others with wisdom. Love also recognizes that self-destruction helps no one. A person who hates himself may refuse necessary rest, then collapse. Quietness before God and honest input from godly people help that person learn when to pull back. God does not drive me with frenzy. God leads me with truth.
Reflection Question
Where are my time and money currently going in order to keep me feeling satisfied or in control, and what does that reveal about what I worship, what I fear, and what I truly believe will take care of me?
Prayer
Father, show me what my time and money are saying about my heart. Forgive me for the pride that puts me first and then calls it busyness. Teach me to wait, to listen, and to build a life that makes room for You. Give me wisdom to prioritize the greater good, courage to starve what is not life-giving, and humility to let You set my pace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Today’s Step of Obedience
Schedule one measurable “God-first” block today: 20 uninterrupted minutes with no phone, no screens, and no multitasking. Sit still, read one of today’s verses out loud, and write one sentence answering: “Lord, what is the next right priority for me today?” Then obey that one priority.
This devotional was inspired by the book Heart Change Handbook by David A. Case. If you found it helpful, please consider it for your own self-study and suggest it to your church small group or recovery community as a basis for small group study.
If this message has encouraged you to pursue deeper transformation, I invite you to continue the journey through The Heart Change Handbook. It provides a practical, biblical path for spiritual growth and is an excellent resource for church small groups and recovery communities. Consider getting your copy today and introducing it to your group as a guide toward meaningful heart change.
👉 Learn more about Small Group Resources from Heart Change U.
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