10 Ways to Enjoy God When Life is Busy

 

 
Many of us have good intentions when it comes to spending time with God. However there is often a long list of other things that can push this priority to the bottom of the pile. Family, work, school, sports, and other commitments can fill our days leaving little margin for the spiritual activities that really feed our souls. By not making time for God, we often leave ourselves empty, vulnerable to temptation, and without direction.

D.L. Moody, the nineteenth century founder of Moody Church and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, recognized his need for God and once said, “the only way to keep a broken vessel full is to keep the faucet running.” So how do we “keep the faucet running” in the middle of a hectic schedule?

Here are some practical suggestions:

 

Use travel time. The AAA Foundation recently conducted an extensive survey to better understand the characteristics of today’s American drivers. In this study they reported that the average driver spends over 290 hours driving every year. That is the equivalent of seven 40-hour work weeks! All of this time spent on the road can be an excellent opportunity for us to pray — with your eyes OPEN, of course! Storing prayer cards in the sun visor or console can provide some quick prompts to help you get started.

 

Multitask. If you can cook dinner while watching a Netflix show or helping one of your children review for a spelling test, then you can multitask. This means you should also be able to listen to worship music while getting ready in the morning or to pray while doing other projects which don’t require your full mental attention. You can look for natural connections to help you remember — like asking God to clean your heart while you are cleaning the kitchen or praying for a child to grow in God’s grace while you are doing an errand related to that child.

 

Rise and Shine. Although multitasking is great, ideally it is a good idea to prioritize some focused time with God each day. One way to accomplish this is by waking up a little earlier each morning to read the Bible and pray. The house is usually quiet then, and having the automatic brew cycle set the night before will allow you to wake up to the smell and the warmth of coffee. For most people, the key to getting up earlier is simple — going to bed earlier. It starts there — the night before. Nothing else compares to prioritizing and enjoying these regular blocks of focused time with Him!

 

Get some exercise. Look for ways to strengthen your heart while strengthening your body by filling your mind with truth while exercising. One way to do this is by listening to Christian podcasts or audiobooks while exercising. This is also a quiet time to talk with God in prayer.

 

Memorize and Meditate. Even in the busiest times, it is possible to use wait times to work on memorizing Scripture. A Scripture memory card can easily be stuffed in one’s pocket or bag so that it is available during down times throughout the day. This might be while waiting for a client, sitting in a doctor’s office, or passing time in the after school pick-up line. Memorization is more than simply recalling words; it is a great way to meditate on God’s Word! There are some great apps out there to help with Scripture memory.

 

In the Moment Prayers. God doesn’t care where you are or how noisy it is when you call out to Him. You can ask Him for wisdom and patience while in your favorite overstuffed chair in the early moments of the morning, while waiting in traffic, or while pushing a two-seater truck-cart down aisle 12 at Target. He is always present – always desiring to help and guide you.

 

Prioritize Church. Getting to church can be a challenge if it is not already built in to your schedule, but being with other believers and hearing the teaching of God’s Word is an important part of every believer’s life. Paul refers to the church as a “body” in which we all play an important role (1 Corinthians 12:27). By making this time a priority, you contribute your part to the body and to bringing glory to God.

 

Spend Quality Time with Other Believers. The Bible includes many admonitions directed at the things believers are to be doing for “one another.” These include encouraging, praying for, building up, serving, and more. We cannot be doing these well unless we are spending quality time investing in friendships with other Christians. This does not mean that Christians only spend time in deep, serious talk. Instead they share life and laughter together often making it easier and more natural to talk about the things that deeply matter.

 

Serve. Philippians 2 explains that Jesus Himself came to this world as a servant, and in the same way, every believer is instructed to use the gifts God has given to serve others (1 Peter 4:10). Serving can be little things like helping people throughout your day or it can be done in a more planned way by regularly serving in a certain ministry through your church. By humbly giving of yourself to bless others, you offer a gift of worship to the Lord (Ephesians 6:7).

 

Ending the Day. As the day comes to a close, it is good to take a few moments to reflect back over your day. This is a great time to confess any sin which God brings to your mind and thank Him for the many blessings He brought throughout the day. When areas of concern come to mind, give them to the Lord asking for His wisdom and strength.

 

If you are not already in a regular habit of spending time with God, choose one or two these suggestions and get started this week. You were made with a desire to relate to God built deep into your DNA, and by making time for this important priority, you will find great fulfillment in the love He desires to pour into your life.

 

We hope that in your busy schedule, you’ll take a “day of rest” as God did. A great thing to do is make that day Sunday and make worship part of that time. We hope you’ll take some time to join us for a service. We would love to have you.