Throughout my journey with God in this life, I’ve found that spending time with Him and acknowledging Him in all of my ways is the most important and rewarding habit I can ever develop (see Prov. 3:6).
I can tell you from experience that God’s help and presence in our lives is vital. He is the Author of all true success and everything that is good. And spending time with God through prayer and His Word is a prerequisite for having a great life and fulfilling your purpose.
Now, it’s true that we can improve ourselves through discipline and even have some success, but will power will only bring us so far. The truth is that nothing can really take the place of having a healthy relationship with God.
I absolutely love Hebrews 11:6. It says that God “is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV). When we draw near to Him, He fills our lives with His strength, peace, joy, provision, and favor…and blesses us in ways we can’t even imagine.
If we are diligent in seeking God, slowly and surely, we become better people.
Putting First Things First
When it comes to our everyday lifestyle, it’s important to ask: Am I putting God first?
It can be easy to put ourselves first…or our friends…or our possessions. But when we put everything else ahead of the Lord, we cheat ourselves out of the good life that God wants us to have.
I tried for many years to work God into my schedule, but it seemed like I never found time. I had good intentions, but procrastination got the best of me. I was always going to spend time with God later on…or after the “one more thing” I needed to do.
The result? Not much was working right in my life or in my ministry. I was frustrated most of the time and felt like I was barely making progress. I’m grateful to say that God finally got through to me! I have learned how to work my schedule around God, rather than trying to work Him into my schedule.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
The answer to my problem (and yours) is simple: Come to Jesus!
It’s not about having a program to follow—it’s simply about forming a habit of putting God first in everything we do. If we will seek first His kingdom, He has promised to add everything else that we need. (See Matt. 6:33.)
Where to Begin
I remember when my 10-year-old granddaughter came to me and said, “Grandma, I want you to tell me how to spend more time with God because I’m so busy.” I thought that was cute. I thought, Honey, if you think you’re busy now, you just wait!
I told her what I’m about to tell you: Just start somewhere. So many people never start at all because they think they need a huge chunk of time to begin. Or they end up doing nothing if they feel like they can’t do everything.
Here’s what I recommend: Start by taking some time in the morning to talk with God in prayer and read His Word—even if it’s just five or 10 minutes.
If you plan on spending your time with Him later in the day, then I encourage you to take at least a few moments in the morning to get started with God on your mind. Acknowledge Him and ask for His help. It can be as simple as saying, “God, I love You, and I appreciate everything You do for me. I really need Your help with my day.”
Sometimes we are defeated because we try to begin where we should be finishing, or we try to do what someone else is doing. The truth is that God will meet you where you are right now. As you take a step of faith, He will give you the grace and strength you need!
So don’t allow yourself to do nothing simply because you can’t do a lot. Start small and go from there.
Today, I can truly say that I am addicted to spending time with God—He has become a necessity that I require every day! If you are at a point in your life where you are ready to make Him your No. 1 priority in every area of your life, then take a moment right now and ask Him to help you get started.
As you do, you’ll find that His guidance and presence are things you just can’t live without. {eoa}
