This past week I set my clock back an hour as mandated by Daylight Saving Time. Like so many, this time change threw my routine off, which affected me physically and mentally. I dread Daylight Saving Time because I know it takes me almost a week to “reset.”

Historically, many believe this setting back and adding of time was created to help farmers. In reality, this idea arose from a few men starting around the late 1800s. George Hudson, Benjamin Franklin, and William Willet all believed that changing the time would allow for more work or pleasurable activities. For some time, this idea floated around until Germany was the first country to try it out in 1916.

Following this, President Woodrow Wilson first made it law in 1918, but it was repealed seven months later. Afterward, President Franklin D. Roosevelt relaunched it in 1942. Still, it was not official until 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson signed a law specifying the start and end dates of Daylight Saving Time for uniformity across the country.

Despite all of the planning and arguments for the benefits of Daylight Saving Time, recent studies show this idea doesn’t do much to save energy and can potentially be detrimental to a person’s health. I know first hand all of the above is true, and it does take me a while to “reset” my internal clock.

This idea of “saving” daylight reminds me of how many things may initially appear to be good. Conceptually, it all seems good but in practice, not as good for us in the long run. Today take the time to evaluate all of the “good” things in your life and determine if they are worth investing time.

Daily Directive:

Answer and Journal the Following

Read:

Read and meditate on Ephesians 5:15-17.

Pray:

Where or what are you investing most of your time and energy? Pray and ask God if this is the best use of your resources.

Meditate / Make It Real:

Determine how you will make the most of your time and how this will include God’s kingdom.

Share / Show:

Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.