A Time to Consider
By Dean Collins
Years ago someone gave me a small wooden disk with the words “Round Tuit” burned into the wood. As they handed it to me they smiled and said, “Now you have a round to it—no more excuses.” It was a clever reminder that we often say we’ll get around to something someday. Whether it’s cleaning out the garage, making an important phone call, or finally tackling a long-overdue project, “I’ll get around to it” has become one of our favorite ways to postpone what we know needs to be done.
How many times have you thought, This just isn’t the right time to make a change? Maybe you’ve felt overwhelmed by the demands of work or by the endless rhythm of school events, practices, and family responsibilities. At times it’s hard to think about anything beyond what’s right in front of you. But as I read Haggai this morning, one phrase caught my attention: “Consider your ways.” The people had convinced themselves that it simply wasn’t the right time to rebuild the Lord’s house. God didn’t begin by arguing with their schedule. Instead, He invited them to step back and honestly examine the direction of their lives.
The Lord’s invitation to “consider your ways” wasn’t simply about finishing a building project. He was asking His people to remember their story. God had ended their exile and brought them home by His grace. Yet it didn’t take long for them to become preoccupied with their own plans while neglecting His. Before pointing a finger, Haggai holds up a mirror. Have we become so focused on building our own lives that we’ve forgotten the God who gave us life in the first place?
Haggai’s words still land with quiet force: “Consider your ways.” Not your intentions. Not your explanations. Not even your future plans—but your ways. The direction your life is actually taking in this season.
It is a gentle question, but it is not a shallow one. It asks whether the God who brought you home is also the God who is shaping how you live now. Whether gratitude has remained alive—or whether it has slowly been replaced by the quiet assumption that your life belongs primarily to you.
And maybe that is where the invitation still stands today: to pause long enough to notice where your life is headed, and to let God re-center what has slowly drifted off course.
The “round tuit” is long gone, but the reminder remains. I don’t need more excuses for how I use my time—I need clearer vision for what matters most. As I read Haggai today, I am reminded that just as God’s steadfast love and grace are new each day, so is my opportunity to reflect, repent, and refocus my time, my tasks, and my devotion to God’s kingdom.
Father, forgive me for the many times I have chosen my own interests over Your kingdom. Today I pray, Your will be done in me as it is in heaven. Align my heart and mind with Your purposes, and shape my life to reflect Your kingdom in every way. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Haggai 1:2-15 ESV
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