Making Time for God at Home
by Karen S. Roberts
If you are having trouble making time for God in your busy schedule, this devotion should be helpful.
A “Making Time for God” Plan
Most of us struggle with finding time to fit in a devotional time with God each day. We rush from one thing to the next, thinking that we’ll find time at some point to spend a quiet time in prayer, Bible reading, and meditating on Scripture. By the end of the day we are exhausted and realize that we never did have our devotions.
It is especially difficult if our family members are looking to us to take care of their needs. We may sit down to have devotions, only to be quickly interrupted by children or a spouse who need us to help them with something, to get them some food, or to take them somewhere.
That’s why it’s important to plan for time to spend with God. Finding a time, scheduling it, and letting family members know that for those fifteen or twenty minutes each day, they need to leave you alone in the quiet place where you choose to spend your time with God. If you have a planner, write your quiet time into your schedule. And then follow the schedule.
If you have small children, you may need to plan this time when they are napping or before they get up in the morning, or before you go to bed at night. If you have a spouse, talk to him about when he can cover for you so that you can get your quiet time in. And do the same so that he also can have a quiet time.
So how do I make time for Jesus at home?
Life is busy. I get that. But you cannot allow your life to become too busy to recognize, communicate with, and serve your Savior, Jesus. It starts with an attitude of acknowledgement.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ~Romans 1:21
When you acknowledge Jesus as the giver of life and all its blessings, you will be more inclined to…
Give thanks throughout the day. Give thanks for your home as you put away the laundry, empty the dishwasher, flip on the lights, and feel the water run down your back as you shower.
Be more aware of what you allow into your home—tv shows, music, books, social media, etc. Don’t allow these to crowd out your devotional time with God. You may need to cut back on your screen time in order to give attention to your spiritual growth.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ~James 4:8
Don’t just live life—pray it. Pray for wisdom. Pray for answers. Pray for guidance.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. ~Proverbs 3:5-8
Including Jesus in Your Everyday Life
Making time for Jesus in your home doesn’t require you to find extra hours in the day. It simply means including Jesus…making Him a part of each part of your day by:
- Talking to God about the big, little, and in-between things of life
- ‘Testing’ the decisions you make according to what the Bible says
- Recognizing God as the LORD of your life through your faith and obedience to His will
- Pray as you do mundane chores such as sweeping the floor, folding the laundry, mowing the lawn, or loading the dishwasher.
- Listen to Christian radio or put on some worship music , opening your spirit to hear from the Holy Spirit as you listen, even if you are cleaning the bathroom or picking up clutter at the same time.
- Pray together with your family members or housemates. Then expect God to answer.
- Put a Bible or Bible study app on your phone and grab some time to use it every day.
Are You a Committed Christian?
Becoming a Christian…accepting Christ as Savior…being born again—whatever words you use to describe or define your relationship with God, they denote a commitment. In aligning yourself with Jesus you are committing to be faithfully obedient to him.
But are you? Are you truly committed? Or is your relationship with Jesus like your membership at the fitness club…in name only? Jesus wants… no… He expects…even demands more from us than a name-only commitment. Time and again we read in God’s Word that to be a Christian is who you are—not what you do.
As we spend time with God, our commitment to Him grows, and we experience more of His life changing power in our lives.
