5 Minutes

Have you ever timed yourself and tried to sit in silence for five minutes without looking at the clock? 

It can feel like an eternity, right? (If you want to go try it right now, I’ll wait.)

Even if you count the seconds in your head, you can’t do that for an entire five minutes. At least I can’t. I get bored of doing that, or I lose my place, or I get distracted. Then I’m left guessing how much time is left, and when I look at the clock and see it’s only been 2min18sec I roll my eyes and lay my head back on the table. 

But think about that amount of time: five minutes…

– It’s never enough time when you’re running late for work  
and need to do all the things.
– It can seem like forever when you’ve been asked to share 
in a meeting and you forgot to prepare.

– It can seem like a ton of time when you’re waiting for 
something to come out of the oven and you’re hungry.
– It can seem like nothing when your kids ask “Mom- 
five more minutes PLEASE!?!” while playing video games.

The amount of time in the five minutes doesn’t change, but our circumstances do. Whether or not five minutes is enough solely depends on our mindset in the moment.



When we’re up and ready to go early we think “Wow- I have five whole minutes! I’ll go finish my coffee! Yay!” We can be like a giddy school girl, and wonder what we should do first with all this extra time.



But when we’re running late we think “FIVE MINUTES?!? UGH!!!! I’ll never finish getting ready in time!!!!” And then we proceed to spill or knock over everything we touch, we drop our keys on our way out the door, we forget our bag and have to run back in the house, we realize once we’re in the car it’s almost out of gas, and we’re basically a chicken with its head cut off, running everywhere but accomplishing nothing. 


What if we think of God like we think of those five minutes?


On days when we’re feeling good, He is not only enough, but MORE than enough! Nothing can bother me. No one can offend me. Temptation has no power. Life is good!!!



But on days when we feel bad, He is not enough, and nothing else we try to stuff ourselves with is enough, either. Not tv, not food, not friends, nothing makes us feel better. Life is an annoyance at best. And now we have guilt on top of it because we ate a whole quart of ice cream. 

But the great thing is, our God is the same whether or not our ‘five minutes’ is enough time. His mercies are new every morning. His compassions don’t fail. He is faithful, and good, and kind, and wants all men everywhere to repent- wooing us to Himself through his goodness. 

So even in this pandemic that has turned the world on its head, and these ‘five minutes’ we’ve been given may seem like a lifetime, you can turn them around for good. 

– Make a list of everyone in your life that you love and pray for them daily. 
– Make a list of everyone in your life that you dislike and pray for them daily.
– Learn a new hobby on skillshare or another similar platform.
– Take time to really study out that thing in the Bible you’ve been confused by your whole life. Ask a
friend to join you and learn together!
– Write cards to people who are stuck and home and don’t understand how to use technology.
– Write cards to people who are stuck at home and DO understand how to use technology. Who doesn’t
love mail?!?
– Walk your dog.
– Clean your house.
– Tackle that garage. 
– Share the Gospel with that person. You can do it! 

But most importantly, remember that God is unchanging. He is with you every moment you’re stuck at home. He can comfort your heart when you feel overwhelmed. He is the Rock we can turn to when things seem so crazy everywhere. 

Maybe during this time God wants to refine you. Maybe your lifestyle before was busy and self-focused, and you never would’ve realized it otherwise. Thank Him for showing you your weakness. 

Maybe there are relationships within your own home that He wants to heal, and now that you have so much time together, He can begin to walk you through that. Be open to it, even if it’s scary and uncomfortable. 

Maybe He wants you to encourage others somehow. When someone starts complaining about their current circumstances (maybe that someone is you), and not being able to go to this family event, or that restaurant, or get their hair colored, remind them that missionaries are living this life 24/7 WITHOUT a pandemic, and then pray for some of them together. 

I promise you that when you get your eyes off the clock, and focus on the greatness of God, it will make the days go by faster. Wake up in the morning and ask Him what’s on your agenda for the day- and then do that. 

Who knows- these ‘five minutes’ might end up being the best of your life. 

Psalm 86:1-5
(1) Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
(2) Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
(3) Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
(4) Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
(5) For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Psalm 37:2-8
(2) For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
(3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
(4) Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
(5) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
(6) And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
(7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
(8) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Psalm 103:17-22
(17) But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
(18) To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
(19) The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
(20) Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
(21) Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
(22) Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.