God has given you the priceless gift of life, one day at a time. Each day comes with about 1,000 waking minutes. That’s 1,000 chances to decide where your attention will go, and at the end of the day, every minute has been spent. Some went to work, some to family, some to distraction—and all of it reveals how you divided your share of mind. The real question is this: how much of your 1,000 minutes did you give to Jesus? Was it five minutes—less than one percent? Fifteen minutes—just over one percent? An hour—barely six percent? For most men, Jesus’s share of mind is very small. How much was wasted on trivial and worthless distractions that could have been offered to Him?
Jesus shows that share of mind reveals love. When Martha busied herself with service, she complained that Mary was wasting time sitting at the Lord’s feet. But Jesus replied: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41–42, RSVCE). Martha scattered her attention across chores; Mary gave her full share of mind to Jesus. Christ reminds every man that the greatest portion of his thoughts and focus must belong to Him.
There is a spiritual combat going on, and Satan is constantly trying to hijack your mindshare. If he can keep you distracted, he can keep you from Jesus. This is where the Virtue of Perseverance, a part of Fortitude, makes all the difference. It takes grit to relentlessly give Jesus more of your share of mind. A persevering man resists distraction, refuses to waste his hours, and disciplines himself to return again and again to Christ. And this steady share of mind given back to Him brings wisdom, not confusion; holiness, not sinfulness; happiness, not agitation. The man who perseveres in giving his share of mind to Jesus will never regret a single minute spent at His feet.
Challenge
Today, resolve to begin to track how much time you deliberately give to Jesus—or how much of your share of mind belongs to Him. Don’t get discouraged if the number is low, but be motivated to turn to Him more starting today. Consider the goal of tithing your time: giving Jesus 10% of your day. Out of 1,000 waking minutes, that means offering Him 100 minutes—through prayer, Scripture, Adoration, and spiritual reading. Begin today to move toward that holy goal.
Pray: Lord Jesus, help me grow in the Virtue of Perseverance so I may relentlessly give back my share of mind to You throughout the day. Teach me to resist distraction and to give You more of my minutes in prayer, thought, and action. Today, I will persevere in choosing You and give You more of my share of mind, minute by minute. Amen.