Occupying on time

It’s Reflection Fridayyyy! How has your week been? Are we still fasting? Are we praying? I hope you’re not one of those people who say they will do their own fast later. Everything is always “later” for them. I always feel somehow about such people because what they don’t know or are ignorant of is, there is an aspect of time that matters in decision making even as we will discuss today. I don’t think anyone needs explanation as to why this beginning of the year fast is important. Children are fasting! Yes. But adults will be talking stories about how they will start tomorrow and that’s how people have piled years of not occupying because “tomorrow.”

Let me tell you how today’s blog came about.

Like I said, when we received the theme from our Apostle, I started listing topics on how we can occupy. I looked at many aspects of life. Some I had to rule out because they didn’t make sense, lol. Yes, sometimes I write things and then delete them because I’m like, “Nah, this will confuse people more than it will help them.” This topic wasn’t even part of my listed topics, but it came to me yesterday. Let me tell you what happened.

The washing line story

I washed my curtains at the same time I washed a pair of sneakers. When it was time to go to the laundry, I decided to start by drying the sneakers you know how you have to prep dry white sneakers. It took time. By the time I was done, it was still morning. The sun was nicely out. I thought, my curtains will dry beautifully and everyone will be happy, right? I made my way to the laundry and guess what? The lines that were not full at the time when I could have started with the curtains were now fuller than my stomach at 6pm when we break the fast. No space. And I’m not exaggerating, there wasn’t even space to hang a handkerchief. Even the lady who had hung her clothes was still squeezing more things in. Again, like me after 6pm.

I stood there for a while looking at what’s happening to my dezzztiny. The space there was maybe to hang curtains of a rat house Lol. That’s when it hit me , I should have come in earlier and then done the sneakers later, because the sneakers didn’t even need the washing line. I turned back with my curtains. And the whole day, I kept checking. She probably hung the clothes and went somewhere, because even when they were dry, nobody came to clear the lines for me. The reason why wet curtains that were supposed to be on the lines were in the house still wet is, I decided to occupy late.

Some people are going to do this , this year. You have your things ready, but you’re starting with the most unimportant ones. You’re supposed to register a business or start pushing ABC, but instead you begin with the least important things. By the time you finally get to what matters, the spaces are already filled. This January you could’ve been busy already occupying but you started off with rest or something that could be done later. There are no gaps in this life that nobody wants to fill. Someone wants what you want too.

The sneakers needed to be dried too , yes, but I could have done that after, because I was going to put them on the balcony anyway. Someone will occupy before you, if you keep dragging your feet. The registration for university? Why do it “later” when you are not the only one who matriculated in 2025. “I have favour, doors will open for me. 11th hour miracle. Wara wara.” Then you start to groan and travail on things that just needed to be addressed on time. Using positive declarations to cover up for your decision to be slow. “Let the wind carry her clothes to Durban and clear room for me to put my curtains!” And we think God answers such prayers? Must people who were diligent and serious be removed from the posts because of you?

What’s another lesson there? You are not the only one applying. You’re not the only one who wants to occupy. Everyone who heard the word has plans and some have the exact plan as you. I wasn’t the only person who decided to do laundry on a Thursday morning, and because I wasn’t the only one, it means other people’s laundry was just as important as mine. It wasn’t based on who has lived in the complex longer, who is younger or older, it was based on who got there first. Getting there first matters! We have seen it in almost everything.

Throw away the mindset that you will find space because you are younger, older, or pretty; the world doesn’t care. I’ve seen people do this many times, especially elders , they stand at the gate talking and chatting, enter the room very late, and there’s no chair anymore, and guess who stands up? A younger person. It is right to honour our elders, by the way , I’m just saying, honour the time. Don’t use age or anything as a privilege this year, or you may not occupy. The ones who set out first, who have planned to have their laundry dry today so they can focus on other things are already on the washing line. Maybe wena you are even still sleeping, you haven’t done the laundry lol.

Occupying on time is so important, I can’t even stress this enough. Maybe that’s even why we fast every January, but I know someone is already planning to kick start theirs later, with no consciousness of time at all. The Bible says, “Of the sons of Issachar, who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Why would God give a group of young men understanding of time? Why is time so important to God? By the way, my book A Thing Called Time will help you A LOT this year , it is a tool for life decision-making and for understanding how to make the most of time. Buy it.

You need to understand that nobody is going to take the blame for your delayed obedience this year nobody, not even Satan. “Oh, I was lazy,” “Oh, I was a bit sick, l think dust entered my eyes” not even those things. Sometimes I’ve had to do things not perfectly fine because it mattered that they were done at that time. You have to check the time! Check the clock! How old are you?! “Oh, that’s rude. Age is nothing but a number?” Sweetheart, age is not just a number, it’s how old you are! Imagine if I decided that age is just a number so I’ll do my grade one class now, learning to write and crayon and all those things kids learn.

The early bird does catch the worm. Don’t be fooled by sentimental phrases that comfort and pamper you into delayed action. “Oh, you poor thing, you still have 11 months, you can surely build a business, start your year soft. Don’t rush,” says the voice of deceit. Sometimes you have to rush people of God. We listen to that voice of deceit every year, and before we know it, it’s December. Do you know what God said to Joshua? “You are now old,” but you haven’t done ABC meaning there’s a time God is expecting me to finish certain things. Joshua l was hoping at this age and time you have occupied more cities so you grew old but wasted time.

We have to do part two because I have so much more to say on this. Occupy on time. Why must you always be doing “catch up”? Why not do things on time? Or else you’ll be like me, the spaces will fill up, you’ll go back with wet curtains and a house without curtains, and you’ll have nobody to blame but yourself. Start with the curtains, then the sneakers okay? Have a wonderful weekend, and please, consider these things. I love you 💕

Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, ‘You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.’

Joshua 13:1 ESV