I don’t know if you read about it in the news, but the UK faced quite a crisis back in February when KFC restaurants actually ran out of chicken.

As the teenage population panicked (and I am not exaggerating!) amateur cooks jumped in action.  Social media was flooded with attempts to find Colonel Sander’s elusive secret recipe.

Have you ever found yourself looking at another Christian and wondering what their ‘secret ingredient’ was?  Have you ever coveted someone’s peace or their victory or wisdom in a particular area?  I have.

As I have studied and meditated on Ephesians 5.15-17, I think the Apostle Paul reveals to us that magical, secret ingredient.

I think it is time.

Paul, the writer of Ephesians, makes it clear here that carefulness and wisdom are inextricably tied to how we use the hours we are given.  We cannot escape the fact, whether we like it or not, that living life well will cost us our time.

Without exception, the Christians I know who live lives of fruitfulness and victory, are people who give regular, intentional time to the things of God.

Think about all the activities that the Bible says are to be part of our normal Christian walk.

Pray without ceasing 1Thessalonians 5.17

Be ready to give an answer I Peter 3.15

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind Romans 12.2

Give to those in need and show hospitality Romans 12.13

Draw near to God Hebrews 10.22

Encourage other Christians Hebrews 10.25

Seek after God’s Kingdom Matthew 6.33

Confess your faults to one another James 5.16

Heal the sick Matthew 10.8

And those are just a fraction, there is so much more.  Verse after verse encourages us to think about, consider, lay hold of, lay aside, put off or put on all sorts of things.  The language used implies a process.  It takes time to really consider something important or to put off a bad habit or start a good one.  Hospitality and ceaseless prayer will not happen if I don’t make time for them.

Jesus’ death has made available to me everything I need for an abundant, godly life (2 Peter 1.3)  His promised helper, the Holy Spirit, empowers me to live this way.

So, if I am not experiencing this abundance, could it be that the missing element is my time?

What if it is just that simple? What if I am just one secret ingredient away from experiencing deep, life-changing, fruit-producing spiritual growth?