3 Ways I Spend Time With God Daily:
Spending time with God isn't easy if there is no intention. It is so incredibly easy to get distracted in the world we live in whether it is kids, our career, the chores, the daily priorities, our to do list, activities, etc. We want to hear from God and for God to answer our prayers but we cant find time to fit daily prayer and bible reading in our busy schedules! What I have realized after having a child is that our priorities must have intention to ensure they are met each day.
Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Proverbs 3:6- In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
I love these two scriptures as both tell us that if we seek God first before anything else, we do not have to worry because He will direct our paths. He will lead us and guide us throughout the day, throughout the week, He is ALWAYS with us but He wants to spend time with us.
What are some ways we can achieve this? How can we fit some time into our busy schedules without distractions?
1. Wake up earlier. Whether that is 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or one hour earlier to make some coffee, do some jumping jacks, whatever it is to wake yourself up- do it! There is no better way to starting my day than to take time first thing in the morning to pray and read my bible. It sets the tone for the entire day. Now, having a newborn and adjusting to a new schedule made it very difficult to do this. Waking up every 2–3 hours throughout the night made it very hard for me to even know when I was waking up in the morning let alone when I would be spending time with God! Lets not beat ourselves up when we are adjusting to new seasons in our lives, God sees our hearts and our efforts.
2. Find a daily quiet time in your day if it is not first thing in the morning where you can spend 10, 20, 30 minutes with God. Whether that is after your baby goes down for a nap or after all the kids are in bed at night, or during your work lunch break. If you are a new mom like me, the first couple of months after my son was born the perfect time for me to read the bible / devotionals were during my pumping sessions. I would escape for 15–20 minutes in my room to pump and that was the perfect time for me to listen to one of my favorite Christian podcasts and read. (If this is something your interested in, you will definitely need to invest in a hands free breast pump — they are awesome!)
3. Pray throughout the day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks: For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Praying without ceasing refers to recurring prayer throughout our day. God wants prayer to be a way of life, a non stop communication with Him. As above stated, "Seek Him first and acknowledge Him in all our ways." This is informal communication that can happen anywhere at any time!
In my experiences I have come to understand that the more I keep Christ in the forefront of my mind throughout my busy days, the less I tend to worry and be anxious. He is our strength, our guide, our provider, our comforter. He is everything.
About the Author
Rachel MacDonald
Loving wife and mother, long-time member of Church of All Nations