Last night I was talking to Christian, my boyfriend, about how I’ve been struggling to find time for God lately. Between working, cleaning house, cooking, helping to care for my nephew, completing projects, performing my role at Odyssey, exercising (or at least trying to), and spending time with Christian, it can be hard to work God into my daily life. I feel like Martha in Luke 10:38-42 when she’s doing all this busy work instead of sitting at Jesus’s feet. I realize that my spiritual life is important, but everything else in my life feels important, too. However, when you make time to rest in God’s presence, He will show you what truly matters. Here are some ways to do that.
- Read your Bible. Nothing is more valuable than God's word. It's His love letter to you, His everlasting promise to pursue your heart and bring you closer to Him. Take the time to read scripture and soak it all in. Hide His word in your heart. All scripture is God-breathed and
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. - 2 Timothy 3:16
If you aren't sure what to read, try a scripture reading plan. Alternatively, pray that God will show you what passages to read. He will answer.
- Listen to your favorite worship songs. I have always found comfort, encouragement, and strength from listening to worship songs. Some of my favorites include How He Loves by David Crowder Band, Our God by Chris Tomlin, I Could Sing of Your Love Forever by Salvador, and The Heart of Worship by Matt Redman. By listening to (and singing) these songs, you are opening yourself up to God and allowing Him to sing His song of love over you. My advice is to turn your favorite worship playlist on, close your eyes, and tune out everything but the songs coming through your earphones. Pray that God would use these songs to bring you closer to Him.
- Read devotionals. Whether or not you have a devotional Bible, it can be helpful to purchase a devotional book on a subject of your choice (increasing your faith, experiencing God’s love in your engagement or marriage, etc.) to help you put God’s word into context and incorporate it into your daily life. Devotionals help to make scripture more personal to you and your unique walk with God. They usually don’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes to complete, so they are a perfect fit for those with busy schedules. Find one that’s right for you and start reading!
- Pray. Are you happy? Praise God for what He has done. Are you upset? Pray for God’s healing and guidance in your life. Are you worried? Bring your fears and concerns before God. God is serious about prayer. He wants us to talk to Him, ask Him for what we need, and to bring our issues before Him every day. We don’t always know what to say, and that’s okay. God knows how our minds work, and He can see what’s in our hearts. Come to Him with everything and He will bring you rest.
A few scripture verses about prayer are James 5:13, Matthew 6: 9-13, Phillipians 4:6-7, Matthew 18:20, and 1 John 5:14. - Go outside and watch a sunrise or sunset, praising God for His artistic genius. I always find God in sunsets. The colors, designs, and undeniable beauty all point back to Him. As you watch the sunset, think about the care and attention to detail that goes into each one. He has surrounded us with so much beauty, and all of it bears His signature. How amazing is that? Also, If God is this elaborate with something as simple as a setting sun, how much more elaborate is He in our own lives?
- Volunteer, donate to charity or engage in an activity in which you are taking care of the needs of others. God has called us to take care of those around us, so when we do it for His glory we experience His peace. Pray that God would show you someone He wants you to help or an area He wants you to get involved in. Maybe you could assist with the flood relief efforts, or maybe your mom just needs some extra help around the house. Look to see what good you could do for others, and give the credit to God. He will be greatly pleased.
For those of you who are looking for other ways to meet with God, check out this link. http://onethingalone.com/ultimate-list-creative-wa...
