Four simple ways to spend time with God in a busy life. Time spent reading God’s word and listening to the insight of the Spirit at work in our hearts is a key ingredient in getting to know God better. A regular Quiet Time is the training ground in which we learn to listen to God with confidence. What do you do on days when you can’t find the time, or don’t have the energy to read your Bible? In this post I’m sharing four simple ways to connect with God in your busy life.

Coffee cup with journal and bible on a table demonstrate time with god

 

There’s an old Gospel hymn that starts out, “Read your Bible every day.”  Time spent reading God’s word and listening to the insight of the Spirit at work in our hearts is a key ingredient in getting to know God better. A regular Quiet Time is the training ground in which we learn to listen to God with confidence.

But sometimes life doesn’t cooperate.

The baby wakes too early, the kids are sick, the house is a wreck, and a neighbor has a need. The chaos of life swirls in our heads making it seem impossible to  find time to be still and listen to God.

Some days are just that way–it’s the free-for-all frustration zone. We all have them.

God knows our schedules, challenges, and motivations better than we do. He doesn’t need our excuses, because He knows and He cares. He knows our hearts.

I’m learning to trust Him with the process of spiritual growth, rather than feeling like it is all dependent on doing all the “right” things. Pray, read my Bible, memorize a verse, obey, keep a good attitude… These are few of the things that make that list in my head.

Grace is letting go of the feeling that we have to earn God’s approval with our religious behavior. His love and acceptance isn’t dependent on how well we perform the Christian life, but this can be a hard mindset to shake. It sneaks in the back door of my thoughts on those days I feel distant and disconnected with my Father.

If you would be more regular with your Quiet Time, if you had more faith when you pray… These are thoughts that lurk in the corners of my mind–out of sight, but easily heard. Have you had these thoughts?

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#devotions #timewithGod”]4 ways to make time with God in a busy life.[/tweetthis]

 

4 Ways to Make Time with God in a Busy Life

When struggle to make a daily time with God, consider these practical tips for connecting with God in the midst of a busy day.

Get more out of your time with God by trying a few simple tips for engaging with God in the practicalities of your day.

1. Reach for consistency, but walk in grace in your time with God.

Something is better than nothing. I try to at least read a short verse or devotion on a regular basis. Some days I have time and enjoy it. Other days it is more like grabbing a coffee at the drive-through window at Starbucks.

A quick sip and I’m on my way.

Cup in my hand, I sip my coffee as I do other things. One day, I realized that I could do the same thing with my time in God’s word–sip on it as I go about my day.

 

2. Keep talking to God about what you read in the Bible.

Later in the day, mentally re-visit your Quiet Time conversation with God. Continue the conversation. If you like games, call it the “Can I Remember?” game. What did you talk with God about this morning? What did you read in His Word?

Look for connections linking God’s truth with what is going on in your day. Can you remember the thought, the topic, or part of a verse you read?

One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to bring to our remembrance God’s Word. We can develop spiritual habits to cooperate and actively participate in this process. If you can remember what you were talking about, you can continue the conversation with God wherever you are, whatever you’re doing.

3. Continue the conversation on your busy days.

On those crazy days you don’t have time to sit still to read Scripture, you can find time to continue the conversation from yesterday while you are doing something else. Engage with Him in prayer as you go about your tasks or drive the car during the day.

Continue to reflect on and pray about the last thing you learned. Look for connections between what you recently learned and what’s going on in your life. You could try this while waiting in line, completing a menial task, or taking a walk. You could even share your thoughts with a friend and include them in the conversation.

4. Glance back and pray about what you read yesterday.

Begin each Quiet Time by glancing back at yesterday’s main point God showed you. Begin your prayer with a brief comment from the previous day before asking God to teach you today. Each time we review a truth or insight, we are reinforcing it. Personally, my brain is like a colander with too many holes for information to leak away. I need lots of repetition to hang on to truth.

Here’s  a few examples:

Lord, thank’s  for reminding me ________.

Lord, I praise you for ________.

Lord, help me to ________.

Try one of these easy ways to get more out of your time with God. Let me know how it works!

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#devotions”]When it comes to a regular Quiet Time, we reach for consistency, but we walk in grace. [/tweetthis]

How do you connect with God when your life is busy? Leave a comment and continue the conversation.

Woman looking at phone illustrates the title of blog post on making time with God in a busy life.

 

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Want more practical ideas to go deeper with Jesus in your busy life? Tip sheets to help you cultivate a deeper life with God. This power pack is filled with ideas to thrive in your relationship with God. Print the resource sheets to incorporate into your spiritual practices as you depend on the Holy Spirit to help you.

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