With so much of our days being bombarded with information from every direction, it can be very difficult to spend as much time with God as we want to. We get easily distracted when reading scripture or interrupted by ads when listening to a sermon.
But instead of blaming our schedules, which aren’t likely to change very drastically, what if we changed them to help our efforts of focusing on Jesus more, while not sacrificing anything we have on our to-do lists?
Here are 5 different ways to start incorporating more time with God that you can start today!
#1 Start With A Solid Morning Routine
I know, I know, this one probably goes without saying. It’s everyone’s go-to answer for how to spend more time with God…by setting aside more time to spend with God.
But saying it and doing it can be two very different things. Just saying you want to get up earlier and read your Bible first thing can be harder than it seems, especially if you are accustomed to hitting that snooze button one too many times.
What I mean is that sometimes you have to be extremely intentional about how you handle your morning routine. This includes getting things ready the night before. Sometimes it takes me so long to just “set up” my quiet time that I could have been done with it by the time I start it. Easy ways to do this include putting your Bible and your study tools, like highlighters, a pen and journal, your current Bible study book or whatever you will need in the same spot every day that you can set apart as your study spot. I also find that this can help you focus by inadvertently telling your brain your purpose for being in that spot ahead of time.
This step also includes things like getting to bed at a decent hour the night before so you won’t be so tired, or getting other aspects of your morning routine, like your clothes, ready the night before so you don’t have to take so long that you lose your study time.
And then make it non-negotiable. Many people consider breakfast non-negotiable. What if we had the same attitude about reading the Word? When you think that no matter what, you HAVE to get it done, you’re much more likely to do it.
Once your study time becomes a solid part of your morning routine, you won’t feel like you can move on to the rest of your day without it.
#2 Listen To Worship Music or Christian Podcasts Throughout The Day
This tip applies to everywhere you go in the day. Whether you’re listening while you’re getting ready in the morning, taking your kids to school, driving to work, going for a walk or hitting the gym, or anywhere else you may be off to, listening to worship music or a podcast can be a great way to spend more time with God everyday.
I love listening to worship music that comes straight from scripture. That way, when I get a song stuck in my head, it’s like I’m meditating on a passage all day long. No matter how busy we are, we all underestimate how much free time we actually have in between our daily events and when we fill it with the gospel, in whatever form that may be, we can get closer to God.
#3 Find Godly Entertainment
This one kind of goes with #2, but I know we all love to binge Netflix and just veg out while we decompress from the stress of the day. If we can find good Christian programs, we can grow closer to God while we de-stress. The Chosen is a great series for this, as it brings scripture to life. And if you’re like us and watch kids shows 99% of the time, Minno or RightNow Media are both great apps with Christian content for kids.
I know this tip can be so challenging, especially when the best dramas on TV seem to be full of curse words or exploit the narrative that “sex sells.” So for some people, turning off the TV or avoiding it altogether can be the best answer for Christian entertainment. And if that’s the route you choose, then you have more time for reading your Bible after all.
#4 Curate Your Social Media
This is a great tip that I actually came across accidentally. When I started my Instagram account for this blog, I wanted to start from scratch and make sure that those I was following were in agreement with what I am trying to do with this blog, which is spread the gospel. So I only followed Christian accounts and companies, worship teams, pastors, or friends I know that are Christians or profess to be Christians, especially so that I don’t lead any followers astray.
From watching content put out by these Christian accounts and liking and commenting on posts or reels the algorithm gave me based on these interests, I inherently curated an account that basically only talks about Jesus. There are a few health and fitness influencers that I follow or other mamas that I love to check in on, but they also profess to be Christians, even if that’s not what they primarily talk about.
So now, even if I get distracted scrolling on Instagram or stuck in the reels, I am still getting the Word of God or worship music constantly fed to me. I didn’t even realize I had really done this until I overheard someone else’s reels and realized that I never hear bad language or derogatory speech or really even hurtful comments, although I know they exist.
I think this can be an excellent tool to refocus your mind to Christ, even when you aren’t necessarily focused. And the Holy Spirit has used these accounts to reiterate truths He has given me during my quiet time or really solidify something He’s teaching me and for that, I am grateful.
#5 Surround Yourself With Scripture
I know this one sounds like a no-brainer, but seriously, it does work. Just like setting aside time to read scripture daily helps keep it in the forefront of your mind, surrounding yourself with verses does the same thing.
This can be as simple as placing post-it notes around your house, especially amongst your normal daily tasks, for you to see and be encouraged by later. I’ve known tons of people that have done this and it really helped them, especially in hard times or times of need.
I also love to incorporate scripture in my home. Having decorations with scripture passages that you look at every day is a great reminder AND a great way to memorize scripture. I love these Fear Not, Be Still & Know and Faith To Move Mountains wall hangings and office desk cards for that purpose.
If you want an easy way to take scripture on the go with you, I love these Phone Wallpapers that focus on Fear Not scriptures, Sharing the Gospel scriptures, and scriptures about God’s Plan for your life.
#6 Pray Without Ceasing
This one always got me when I would read in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.” It seemed so impossible. How can I pray without ceasing? I have other things I have to get done you know…
But once I realized what it meant, I realized I was actually already doing it a lot of the time.
It basically means to never say “amen” or in other words, your prayers don’t have to always be a sit down, quiet moment where you say all the right things and then once it ends, you go about your day. Prayer can be an ongoing conversation with God. “Take Him with you” so to speak throughout your day and talk about how it’s going. Tell Him when you get frustrated, or sad or excited about something.
Praise Him as you witness His hand on your every day moments. Thank Him for the blessings you can see all around you every day. And do everything for His glory. That’s how you pray and praise without ceasing. Let everything you do praise Him and glorify His name.
To sum it up…
I don’t know about you, but I know I have struggled in the past to spend more time with God because I lived under the assumption that I just couldn’t add another thing to my day. But when you shift your thinking and realize that when you add God into your every day tasks, you can actually spend time with Him all day, and it really makes all the difference.
