Teach Us to Live What We Have Left – 6-Day Devotional
Day 1: Facing the Weight of Our Days
Scripture: “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Recap & Emotional/Spiritual Connection)
There are moments in life when time suddenly feels fragile. A loss, a diagnosis, a milestone birthday, or even a quiet moment of reflection can awaken us to the truth we usually avoid: our days are limited. Psalm 90:12 gives voice to that awareness—not as a complaint, but as a prayer. Moses does not ask for more time; he asks for understanding.
This verse reminds us that wisdom does not begin with productivity or planning but with honesty. We often live as if time is endless, postponing obedience, reconciliation, or deeper faith. Yet Scripture gently calls us to wake up—not to panic, but to pay attention. God invites us to see our lives clearly so that we can live them faithfully.
This awareness can feel heavy, but it is also freeing. When we acknowledge our limits, we stop pretending to be in control and begin leaning on the One who is eternal. Psalm 90 does not leave us in despair; it guides us toward trust. God is not threatened by our brevity—He is our dwelling place across generations.
Today is about letting the truth of our mortality settle—not to discourage us, but to reorient us. God teaches us because He loves us. Awareness is the doorway to wisdom, and wisdom is the pathway to a life that matters.
Reflection Questions
When have you most clearly felt the weight of time passing?
What might God be trying to teach you through that awareness?
Prayer Prompt
Ask God to gently open your eyes to the reality of your days without fear or denial.
Action Step
Set aside five quiet minutes today to reflect on how you are currently using your time—and how you might want to live more intentionally.
Day 2: Learning Wisdom from the Story of Scripture
Scripture: “The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.” — Proverbs 9:10 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Biblical Depth & Background)
Psalm 90:12 sits within a larger biblical story that consistently connects wisdom with humility and reverence. In Scripture, wisdom is not primarily about intelligence or experience—it is about living rightly before God. Moses, the author of Psalm 90, understood this deeply. He had witnessed God’s power, human failure, and the cost of disobedience across a generation in the wilderness.
Throughout the Bible, God uses the reality of human limitation to shape His people. Ecclesiastes wrestles honestly with life’s brevity. The Psalms return again and again to the contrast between fleeting humanity and the eternal God. Even Jesus frequently reminded His listeners that life is more than accumulation and longevity—it is about faithfulness.
Wisdom, then, grows where reverence meets reality. When we acknowledge that our time is short and God is eternal, our priorities begin to shift. We stop asking only, “What do I want?” and start asking, “What does God desire?” Scripture teaches us that wisdom is a gift God delights to give, especially to those who know they need it.
Psalm 90:12 is not an isolated insight—it is a summary of a biblical truth echoed across generations: awareness of our limits is not a weakness; it is the beginning of wisdom.
Reflection Questions
How does Scripture define wisdom differently than culture does?
Where do you see reverence for God shaping wise living?
Prayer Prompt
Thank God for His Word and ask Him to shape your understanding of wisdom according to Scripture.
Action Step
Read Proverbs 3:5–6 today and reflect on how trust in God reshapes your decisions.
Day 3: Examining the Heart Behind Our Use of Time
Scripture: “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” — Psalm 139:23 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Heart-Level Reflection)
Awareness of life’s brevity naturally leads us inward. How we spend our days often reveals what we love, fear, or trust most. Psalm 90:12 calls not just for thoughtful living, but for transformed hearts. Wisdom is not merely about scheduling better—it’s about loving better.
Sometimes we fill our days with activity to avoid deeper questions. We stay busy so we don’t have to be honest. But God invites us to slow down and allow Him to search our hearts. What drives your decisions? What consumes your attention? What do you consistently postpone when it comes to God?
A wise heart is not a perfect heart—it is a teachable one. When we allow God to examine us, He does not do so to condemn us, but to heal and redirect us. Awareness of our limited days becomes an invitation to align our hearts with what truly matters.
This kind of reflection requires courage, but it also leads to freedom. When our hearts are shaped by wisdom, our lives begin to reflect God’s priorities rather than our own distractions.
Reflection Questions
What patterns in your life reveal where your heart is focused?
Where might God be inviting you to realign your priorities?
Prayer Prompt
Ask God to reveal anything that keeps you from living wisely and fully for Him.
Action Step
Write down one area where you sense God calling you to greater intentionality.
Day 4: Living Wisely One Day at a Time
Scripture: “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” — Ephesians 5:10 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Personal Application)
Wisdom does not demand perfection—it calls for faithfulness. Psalm 90:12 reminds us that we grow in wisdom over time as we depend on God daily. Living wisely is not about mastering the future, but about stewarding today.
Each day offers choices that shape our character: how we speak, how we listen, how we love, and how we trust God. Small, faithful decisions accumulate into a life of purpose. God is not asking us to control time—He is asking us to honor Him with the time we’ve been given.
When we live with intention, even ordinary moments become sacred. Work becomes service. Relationships become opportunities for grace. Rest becomes an act of trust. Wisdom teaches us to live each day with God, not just for Him.
God’s grace meets us in the present. Today matters—not because it is all we have, but because it is a gift from the Lord.
Reflection Questions
What would it look like to live today with greater intentionality?
How can small choices reflect trust in God?
Prayer Prompt
Ask God for wisdom to live faithfully in the ordinary moments of today.
Action Step
Choose one daily habit this week that reflects wise and intentional living.
Day 5: Shaping a Wise Community Together
Scripture: “Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” — Ephesians 5:16 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Community & Outward Focus)
Wisdom is never meant to be lived alone. Psalm 90 is a communal prayer, reminding us that God shapes His people together. When a community values wisdom, it prioritizes relationships, service, and shared faith over individual success.
Living wisely means investing in others—encouraging faith, extending grace, and building one another up. Our limited days gain greater meaning when they are poured into the lives of others. God often uses community to teach us lessons we cannot learn alone.
The church becomes a place where time is redeemed—not rushed, but rooted in love and purpose. Wise communities are patient, generous, and attentive to what God is doing among them.
As believers, we are called to live with an awareness that our collective witness matters. The way we treat one another speaks loudly about what we believe concerning God and eternity.
Reflection Questions
How does your community help shape wise living?
Where can you invest your time to strengthen others?
Prayer Prompt
Pray for your church and ask God to shape it into a wise, loving community.
Action Step
Reach out this week to encourage or serve someone in your faith community.
Day 6: Redeeming the Days God Has Given You
Scripture: “Make the most of every opportunity.” — Colossians 4:5 (NLT)
Devotional Thought (Faith-in-Action Challenge)
Psalm 90:12 ultimately leads us to action—not frantic striving, but faithful obedience. To redeem our days means to offer them to God with trust and humility. We cannot add days to our lives, but we can give our days meaning by living them in step with God’s purposes.
Redeeming time does not mean doing more—it means living aligned. It means choosing faith over fear, obedience over delay, love over indifference. In Christ, our days are not wasted. Even when they feel small or ordinary, God uses them for His glory.
Jesus Himself lived with full awareness of time, and He entrusted every moment to the Father. Because of Him, our brief lives are anchored in eternal hope. The call of this psalm is not to live faster, but to live deeper.
Today, God invites you to trust Him with what remains and to walk forward with wisdom, courage, and grace.
Reflection Questions
What does it look like for you to redeem your days in Christ?
Where is God inviting you to act in faith?
Prayer Prompt
Offer your remaining days to God and ask Him to establish the work of your hands.
Action Step
Commit to one concrete act of obedience this week that reflects wise, faith-filled living.