Overview of Redeeming The Time
Joel Osteen’s message centers on treating each day as a gift from God and using time wisely instead of wasting it on negativity, offense, worry, or distraction. He argues that time is more valuable than money because it cannot be replaced, and that believers are responsible for living intentionally, pursuing purpose, and refusing to let unresolved hurts or other people’s opinions control their lives.
Main Message
The core idea is simple: redeem the time by making the most of every day.
- Time is limited and cannot be recovered.
- Every morning is a new opportunity from God.
- How you spend your time is really how you spend your life.
- A godly life requires focus, purpose, gratitude, and emotional freedom.
Osteen encourages listeners to stop drifting through life and instead live “on purpose,” with a clear sense of assignment and destiny.
Key Themes and Takeaways
1. Time is a priceless gift
- You can make more money, but you cannot make more time.
- Each day is like a deposit from God: about 86,400 seconds to spend wisely.
- We should live with urgency, gratitude, and intentionality.
2. Don’t waste time on distractions
He warns against:
- Trying to please people who will never be pleased
- Fighting battles that don’t matter
- Getting caught up in criticism, office politics, and petty offense
- Spending energy on things that pull you away from your calling
3. Release bitterness and unforgiveness
A major emphasis is that anger and resentment steal emotional energy and cloud your perspective.
- Don’t relive past hurts.
- Don’t let offense carry over from one day to the next.
- Forgiveness is a choice that protects your peace.
- Osteen uses the image of “going to bed with the sun blocked” to describe how unresolved bitterness can darken the next day.
4. Live with purpose
He repeatedly urges listeners to:
- Start the day positively
- Run “with purpose in every step”
- Develop gifts and talents
- Stay focused on God-given goals
- Use time to bless others, not just yourself
5. Setbacks can become setups
Osteen encourages people to trust God in disappointments rather than sinking into self-pity.
- Misery is optional, even when disappointment is inevitable.
- Valleys can lead to higher mountains.
- When life is hard, keep sowing, serving, and helping others.
Notable Illustrations
The “86,400 seconds” analogy
He compares each day to a bank account with 86,400 units that expire at the end of the day. The point: don’t waste what cannot be carried over.
The marbles story
He tells the story of a man who placed 1,000 marbles in a jar to represent the number of Saturdays he had left. Watching them disappear helped him value time and prioritize family.
The near-miss plane story
He shares the story of a woman who narrowly missed being on a fatal flight, which changed her outlook and made her more grateful, forgiving, and appreciative of each day.
The reporter who lost her job
A young reporter was fired after refusing to produce negative, sensational coverage during Hurricane Ike. Osteen frames this as a turning point: instead of self-pity, she trusted God, and later received a better job opportunity.
Practical Applications
Daily habits he recommends
- Begin the day with a positive mindset.
- Keep a plan and stay purposeful.
- Refuse to carry anger into tomorrow.
- Before bed, release:
- disappointment
- worry
- resentment
- self-blame
- Thank God for what you have instead of focusing on what you lack.
Mindset shifts
- “I’m not going to let other people control my peace.”
- “I’m not going to waste today trying to fix what I can’t change.”
- “I’m going to invest my time in what matters most.”
Closing Emphasis
The sermon ends with a strong appeal to:
- live without regrets
- spend life well
- accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
- remember that identity and worth come from God, not from labels, mistakes, or painful seasons
Osteen also promotes his book Made by God, reinforcing the idea that people are valuable, purposeful, and created by God with destiny.
Key Scripture References Mentioned
- Psalm 90:12 — “Teach us to number our days…”
- Ephesians 4:26 — don’t let the sun go down on your anger
- 2 Corinthians 6:1 — don’t squander the life God has given you
- 1 Corinthians 9:26 — run with purpose in every step
Bottom Line
This message is a reminder to live intentionally, forgive quickly, and treat every day as a sacred opportunity. The goal is not merely to get through life, but to redeem time by using it for faith, purpose, growth, and blessing others.