DAILY NUGGETS
In the journey of life, few truths are as universally misunderstood as the relationship between time and purpose. Many people assume that because purpose is divine, it is timeless. In reality, purpose may be eternal in origin, but its fulfilment is deeply tied to time, seasons and opportunity. Every time is not convenient for everything in the pursuit of purpose, and ignoring this truth has led many promising lives into regret rather than fulfilment.
Time is not merely a measure of hours and years; it is both a spiritual and practical resource. How it is used determines whether purpose is revealed or concealed, fulfilled or frustrated. One of the most sobering realities of life is that there comes a season when action is no longer possible. The night comes, a time when one can do nothing anymore. This “night” does not always mean death; it may come in the form of lost strength, diminished relevance, closed doors or the irreversible consequences of earlier delay.
The day as the season of opportunity
Too often, people live as though tomorrow is guaranteed and opportunity is permanent. They postpone decisive action, delay obedience and treat urgency as pressure rather than wisdom. Yet history and human experience repeatedly prove that there is a season when effort yields results and another when effort becomes futile.
The beauty of purpose is seen in the day, not the night. The day represents opportunity, visibility, energy and clarity. It is during the day that gifts are expressed freely, ideas are implemented effectively and impact is measurable. The day allows room for growth, correction, learning and expansion. It is the season in which purpose flourishes, when strength is intact, vision is clear and capacity can still be developed.
Conversely, the night does not destroy purpose, but it limits its expression. The night reduces exposure. Things still exist, but they are harder to see. Vision becomes blurred, strength wanes and options become fewer. While redemption may still be possible in the night, it often comes at a higher cost and with diminished reach. This is why the beauty of purpose is seldom displayed in the night. What could have been boldly accomplished in the day often turns into quiet regret after darkness falls.
Time lost, wasted or invested
Time itself is neutral, but how it is handled determines its outcome. Time can be stolen through distraction, fear, unhealthy attachments and misplaced priorities. In today’s fast-paced world, time theft often appears harmless—excessive social media use, unproductive conversations, constant comparison or endless preparation without execution. Yet stolen time accumulates silently, leaving unfinished dreams and wasted potential.
Time can also be wasted. Wasted time is not always idle time; it is time spent without purpose or direction. Many people are busy yet unproductive, active yet unfulfilled. They move constantly but arrive nowhere, expending energy without building capacity and generating activity without progress.
However, time can be invested. Time invested yields returns. Investment in education, skill development, discipline, character, service and purposeful relationships produces future dividends. Purpose-driven individuals understand that not all investments produce immediate results, yet they remain committed because growth is cumulative and enduring.
When delay becomes regret
The advantage of the day over the night cannot be overstated. The day allows room for error and correction. Mistakes made early can still be amended. Lessons learned can still be applied. Relationships can be rebuilt and capacity can be strengthened. The day is generous with opportunities. The night, on the other hand, is restrictive. It allows reflection but not construction, remembrance but limited rebuilding. Those who squander the day often find the night unforgiving.
Time is also a revealer. Over time, intentions are exposed through results, commitment through consistency and discipline through endurance. Purpose cannot remain hidden indefinitely. Time reveals whether one has lived deliberately or casually, intentionally or reactively. Ultimately, what a person does with time determines tomorrow. The future is not accidental; it is built daily.
Every decision plants a seed into the next season of life. Delay plants regret, discipline plants fulfilment, obedience plants legacy. Purpose does not reward intention; it responds to action, and action must be taken while it is still day.
The tragedy of many lives is not the absence of calling, but the failure to act when conditions were favourable. Many waited for convenience, certainty or perfection, unaware that purpose thrives on obedience, not comfort. As individuals and as a society, there is an urgent need to restore respect for time. Individuals stagnate when urgency is mistaken for pressure and discipline for punishment.
Lastly, for national leadership and the rising generation, the message is urgent and unavoidable: the day is already far spent. Leadership that delays decisive action mortgages the future, while a youth population that treats time casually risks inheriting regret rather than reform. Nations are not transformed in the night; they are built deliberately in the day through courageous leadership, disciplined governance and a generation willing to invest its time in learning, service, innovation and moral responsibility.
Nigeria’s greatest resource is not oil or land, but time in the hands of purposeful leaders and focused youth. If this generation acts while it is still day, rejecting waste, resisting distraction and embracing responsibility, the night of stagnation can be averted. If the day is squandered, history will record not a lack of potential, but a failure of timely action.