With life’s daily stresses, it is natural to feel as though there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. With demands placed on you from home, work, school, friends, and community, finding time for God in your daily life can be challenging—but it never has to be impossible.
With a little preparation and a lot of prioritizing, you can ensure that God will have a place in your heart and in your home.
Incorporating God into every aspect of your day
There are no right or wrong ways to make God a priority in your life. If you begin and end your day with God, He will be able to help guide you through your many tasks and responsibilities. Probably the easiest way to make time for Him in your life is to simply weave your relationship with Him into everything you do. Make your prayers and scripture study a priority each morning and focus on having a conversation with God—talking to Him about what lies ahead, asking for help, and listening for His answers and direction. As you invite Him day by day to join you, your relationship with Him will grow and strengthen.
Keeping perspective
During the daily grind, it becomes easy to lose perspective and to simply focus on the here-and-now. The urgent often crowds out the important, and we give priority to the activities and responsibilities that need to be completed by tomorrow, rather than focusing on the things that have the most eternal significance or consequence. It is important to be involved in everyday endeavors, to be an active member of your community, and to keep in mind that your daily experiences should ultimately help you grow more closely to God.
If you make a commitment to what is eternally important for you, you will be more likely to make time for God on a daily basis. Instead of seeing your prayers and worship time as items on a checklist, view them as chances to get to know and love God on a more personal level. Remember that your time on this earth is temporary, but your relationship with Him will last forever—and it will become easier to incorporate Him and His will into all that you do.
Involving your family and friends
You want to have a deep, personal relationship with God, but sometimes the immediate need gets in the way with distractions and circumstances needing attention. Involve the people closest to you in your journey to make God a priority and rely on each other for strength and encouragement. Set goals with your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and anyone else who is working to better his or her relationship with God. Writing down and verbally committing to your goals will give you accountability and more drive to follow through—and working as a group will give you the solid support, accountability, and encouragement you need.
Scheduling your days ahead of time
Because you probably have a busy schedule with work appointments, children’s activities, etc., it is important to find a time before the day begins, or at lunch, or at the end of the day–a time that is protected on your schedule that will not be compromised. If it feels as though you never have enough time to get everything done, then there may need to be a time for reevaluation. You may need to slow down or find time for reflection to keep your relationship with God intact; otherwise, it will be that much more difficult to include God. Families who are constantly rushed, stressed, and exhausted are families who will have a harder time staying in tune with their spirituality—and their relationship with God will undoubtedly suffer unless they reevaluate their priorities.
Work hard to plan your days ahead of time, and set aside specific time to talk with God and to focus on Him. While it may feel odd or disrespectful to “pencil God in,” sticking to a specific schedule is a good first step toward making time for God a more regular part of your days. As time progresses, bringing God into the many aspects of your busy life will become second nature, and you will find yourself automatically including Him in all you do. Understand that making time for God is a process and that you will not become perfect overnight—but as you make a genuine effort, your life will be blessed and you will find greater peace and the life you desire.