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"It's just a waste of time!" Ed was annoyed.

Joan took offense, "Visiting my family over the holidays is not a waste of time."

"All we ever do is sit and eat. They don't even enjoy the football games!"

"Honey, you know we have to go at least once a year. They might not be around much longer. And the kids…"

"Yeah, I know," Ed replied, "You're probably right. It's what we ought to do. But I don't enjoy it, and I can't see how our visits will ever have any influence toward their salvation."

"Ed, you used to pray with me all the time about their salvation. What's got you so discouraged?"

"I guess I've gotten cynical; it seems that whenever we're with them they're indifferent to everything that matters to us, especially Christianity."

Tough situation! Joan's unsaved parents aren't much fun to be around and Ed had other ideas for their Thanksgiving weekend anyway. But, he's lost sight of a primary principle: God often allows us to be in situations that seem like a waste of time so we can make an impact on people who seem closed to spiritual things.

Nurturing our relationships with unbelievers is not easy. Sometimes it seems easier to just ignore their spiritual condition.  Has that happened to you and is it easier in the long run, especially with family?

The apostle Paul is a good example. While jailed in Rome, he gives the Philippians a note of encouragement about evangelism.
"Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances (in prison) have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well-known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else…"

Paul could have seen his imprisonment as a terrible waste of time, and he certainly wouldn't have chosen to be jailed. But God set up a unique opportunity for him to share Christ with young Roman soldiers who would later take the gospel to the outlying areas of the empire. Apparently many of these young soldiers became Christians, for Paul closes his letter with: "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household."

Remember that people are eternal beings who face an eternal destiny; ask Him to give you compassion.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that seems like a waste of time: jury duty, an extended stay in the hospital, a plane layover? This may be God's way of putting you in touch with someone who needs to know Him.
Here are some ideas on how to redeem the time.

First, cultivate an eternal perspective. Remember that people are eternal beings who face an eternal destiny; ask Him to give you compassion.

Second, remember that according to Scripture, each and every person on the face of the earth struggles to find fulfillment. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says "He [God] has set eternity in their hearts…". That God-shaped vacuum is in the heart of all of us, and only He can fill it. As Steve Green has said, "People need the Lord." Remind yourself of that fact.

Third, remember that God wants to use you, so ask Him to open doors for you to share Christ. If we can remind ourselves of the eternal significance and of people's need for the Lord, and if we ask Him for opportunities, we will find that this seemingly wasted time can be eternally rewarding.