Making Time for Jesus

I'm sure I'm like many of you who recognize the vital importance of having a genuine, personal day-to-day relationship with Christ, yet struggling to stay in a disciplined daily routine of actively spending time with Him. And might I add, enjoying that time with Him? It's such a blessing... As born-again believers, we carry with us the very presence of God's Spirit. And in our fingertips we hold His love letter to us, full of truth, wisdom, and comfort. 

So then, why is it so hard to keep a consistent, daily prayer and reading routine? Why is it so hard to practice His presence? I'd like to say "it's my toddler's fault", but more truthfully I'm sure it's my tendency to make idols out of everything but the true God. There's always something to distract me, whether it's chasing my little boy, browsing blog-land, the dirty dishes in the sink, etc. Those are the things that I'm regularly tempted to deem "more important" than Jesus by the sheer fact that they get the bulk of my time and attention.

If I'm willing to make time for many of the lesser things, surely I have time for Jesus. Again, it boils down to priorities, and I'll be the first to admit that it's a daily challenge for me to keep them ordered correctly. It's taken a lot of time, trial, and grace from God Himself to battle this tendency in me {and this will no doubt be a continual, lifelong pursuit}. So if you find yourself often struggling with the same issue, I hope and pray that this can encourage you to keep fighting the good fight!

Here are a handful of strategies I've worked into my daily routine to keep my relationship with Jesus grounded in prayer and scripture {I don't necessarily do all of these things at once, it depends on what the home situation is like in regards to family/pregnancies/baby phases/etc}:

Tried & True Time Making Strategies

Morning Prayer.
Start every single day with prayer, even if you're only able to pray for a minute or two at a time. Thank God for the new day in which to live under His grace and truth, and ask Him to help you to live the day according to what pleases Him and fulfills His will. If you're married, ask Him to help you be the best wife to _______ that you can be. If you have kids, ask Him to help you be the best mom to _______. If you work full time, ask Him to help you do your job to His glory. Etc.

Daily Devotions.
If you're able, get up 30-60 mintues before the routine demands of the day begin and spend time praying and reading the Bible {see a great bible study method here}.

Listen to Sermons Online.
Find an online collection of sermons you enjoy and play them while you're doing the dishes, folding laundry, driving to work, etc. {My favorite online source for great sermons is Mars Hill church, by Pastor Mark Driscoll}.

Download a Free Audio Bible.
If you have a smart phone, download a free Bible app that plays audio so that you're able to listen to the Word while sitting down to breakfast or during any other time when you're hands and eyes are occupied.

Keep a Portable Bible on Hand.
If you don't have a smart phone, keep a small portable bible tucked in your purse, in your car, or anywhere that you know you'd be able to easily pull it out and sneak a chapter or two in while you're standing in line at the store, sitting in the waiting room, etc.

Establish Routine Prayer Time with Your Kids.
If you're a parent, pray with your children at bedtime {even if they're very young}. Thank God for the time he's given you together, and ask for their salvation, protection, and/or whatever special needs He may bring to your mind. Also, ask your spouse if there's anything that you can pray for him/her about, and take just a short time to do that.

End Every Day with Prayer.
End every day with prayer, {even if it's short}. Thank God for the day, confess any sins, remember any family and friends with special needs, etc. 

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As an Army wife and mom, I know it can be extremely difficult to establish and stick to a good routine. The nature of my husband's job and schedule is constantly changing, and my little boy's schedule changes over time as well. So, gone are the days when I have the freedom to sit down and spend an hour+ in quality fellowship time with Jesus. Likewise, gone are the days when I can even stick to one of the things on my list above for more than a day or two in a row! But between all of them, I can find some amount of time each day to dedicate to one of those options. 

I hope you find absolute fulfillment in your personal walk with Jesus. Praise God for His unfailing patience and faithfulness towards us!

Thanks for reading!