How Much Time Should I Give to God?

Have you ever wondered how much time you should give to God? What’s the ‘right amount’ so to speak?

• Is it okay that I only gave God ten minutes today?
• Am I less of a Christian because I barely get two sentences strung together in prayer before my kids interrupted me—again?
• Should I really be studying the Bible for a full hour (or half a day like the Jews did in Nehemiah)?

Well, if I may borrow a common expression, the fastest answer is, “How long is a piece of string?” But I think we can do better than that by looking at the Scriptures to “measure” our metaphorical piece of string.

I was slogging my way through the last few chapters of Ezekiel. The prophet had been listing off all the sacrifices and measurements of the future temple, even the uses of gates… and I was trying not to go cross-eyed or fall asleep.

Ugh, what did any of this have to do with me?

Then Ezekiel’s says,

“…the prince shall offer unto the Lord…as he shall be able to give”. (Ezekiel 46:4-5)

I stopped reading. My head had trouble wrapping itself around this concept. What did Ezekiel mean ‘as he shall be able to give’? He’s a prince. He’s rich as buckets, isn’t he?

I kept turning this over in my mind, trying to work out why God would say a prince should give according to his ability. Why not just give him a certain amount?

The commentator Matthew Henry said this verse teaches us that God expects everyone, even princes, to give according to our ability. Some princes are richer than others, and God doesn’t expect the poorer ones to do what the richer one can. Nor is He impressed if the richer princes give only what the poorer ones did. They are to give as they are able.

This concept is reiterated in Ezra 2 when the people were donating their goods to the rebuilding of the temple. Verse 69 says, ‘They gave after their ability.’ Each person donated what they could.

That put me in mind of a sermon when my pastor gave this example.

If a millionaire gave you $100, you wouldn’t think much of it. They’ve got millions after all. You’d be more impressed if they gave you a million dollars.

But if a beggar on the side of the street gave you $20, you’d treasure it. Knowing that $20 was more valuable to that beggar than the $100 the millionaire thew away on you.

That’s what according to your ability means. The beggar certainly couldn’t give you $100, but if he could give $20 and did, then he is to be commended. And yet, the millionaire could have given more.

God doesn’t compare my gifts according to someone else’s standards. He appreciates me for what I can give. And He judges me only according to my personal ability.

So, I translated that into time.

Some people have heavy responsibilities and are time poor. They might only have a 5-minute break to devote to Bible Study or prayer, but God will treasure those minutes. Knowing what it cost that person to set aside that time for Him. He knows they gave all they could. And what seems like a little will turn into sweet, precious gold.

Maybe you didn’t even get a break because an irate customer monopolized your whole break. But instead of getting angry, you choose to see them as a hurting soul God loves and prayed for them. That is not time wasted. Nothing is wasted if you do it for Him.

Just because you’re busy, doesn’t mean you can’t spend time with God if you “do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

On the other hand, someone with lots of time on their hands only gives God 10 minutes. (Hey, that’s like double the other guy’s time!) They could have spent an hour with God, but they gave Him less (ouch, my own toes hurt with that one). Their 10 minutes with God become shallow, a shadow of what it could have been.

God looks at our gifts according to our ability. If we give what we can, God values it.

Remember the widow and her two mites.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites… And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury (click here to read the full account of Mark 12:41-44)

Do you feel “less than” because you’ve only got 2 mites to give to God?

Just remember that God never judges the amount we give. He judges your heart.

Do you feel “safe” because you’ve given as much as the guy next to you?

Then perhaps you should consider those rich men who all threw in bags of gold, and God wasn’t impressed.

Give to God according to your ability and never judge yourself by someone else’s standards.

So, how much time should we give to God? How long is our ‘piece of string’ so to speak?

There is no standard measurement. Even our own measurements change from day to day, depending on what’s on our plates. We ought always to worship according to our abilities.

There is one thing I’d further recommend. Regularly evaluate the length of your string.

Have you ever sat down and figured out how much time you can devote to God compared to how much time you actually give Him?

I must say it was eye-opening for me.