You are here: Home › Whats New › 2010 › 02 › 11 › 18plus Time With God Amongst The Madness

11th February 2010 by Julia Hosking

Life is crazy. You always knew that, right? But now you're working full-time, or maybe juggling study and work. Plus you have a million other commitments: church, sporting groups, theatre companies, household chores, study, friends, families, children and respective partners.

You know you should spend more time with God and give the Creator the time of day he deserves - praying, studying his Word, listening to him - but you seriously wonder when you can.

Or maybe, until now, you've always done your devotions first thing in the morning or last thing at night. However, you've often dozed off, panicked about being late for work / uni, or just been desperate to get in that bed and sleep.

Here are a few alternative options that may work for you ...

1. Music and the Word

If you catch public transport to work (like me) or uni etc. then trying doing your devotions then. For the first half of my train journey, I read a devotional book and my Bible. After that, I pray and listen to Christian music.

Listening to Christian music achieves two purposes:

• Firstly, it drowns out some of the noise (train announcements, loud talkers, other people's iPods etc.).
• Secondly, I can stay focused on God and talk to him. I admit I still have distractions and wandering thoughts, but by listening to godly music, my thoughts wander back to him. He even speaks to me through the music and my Holy Spirit conscience.

2. The audio world

Maybe you're not much of a reader, or drive to work and therefore can't read on the train. My husband was in a similar situation, so, he went to a local Christian bookstore and picked up an audio version of the Bible. He can't believe how much he learns in a day from listening to God's living Word.

If you want to mix it up a bit, you can also purchase audio Christian books (such as The Five Love Languages) and download sermon podcasts (check out iTunes or corps / church websites).

3. Take a walk

Talk to the Lord while you take a walk on your lunch break, or walk a longer route to work, uni or the shops.

4. Book him in

If you're so busy that every half hour is allocated to some sort of meeting or activity, book an appointment with God. You wouldn't break an appointment for an important work or study meeting, so you shouldn't break your appointment with God.

5. Seize the moment

Author Shannon Ethridge says that she will seize any available moment in her day (10 minutes is enough) to lie down with Jesus. She even sets a timer so she doesn't have to think about the time. So whether she has 10 minutes or 30, she will be still and allow God to speak to her.

6. Seize every moment

Serve the Lord in everything you do. Maybe you can only find 10 minutes on the bus to read your Bible and then you spend your lunch break studying. Try finding another 10 minutes to talk with the Lord and then use the rest of the day as service to him.

Confused?

• When you study, be grateful for the brains God gave you and the opportunity to learn.
• When you work, work as though God is your immediate manager.
• When you cook dinner for your family, be grateful for the food and serve it as an act of love to your family.
• Pray while you shower.
• Genuinely thank God for your meal before you eat.
• Praise God for the healthy body he gave you and honour that gift as you exercise.

7. A final word - a first word

Every morning, try to find at least one minute to say good morning to God. Thank him for another day and then dedicate everything you do that day to him.

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it," (Psalm 24:1).

Julia Hosking is a journalist with The Salvation Army, writing for the MORE website and Pipeline Magazine. She is a perfectionist at heart and loves eating chocolate, drinking coffee and chilling out with her husband, Michael.

Julia and her husband worship at Menai Salvation Army.

Comments

• Leave a comment
• Subscribe to comments

No comments yet - be the first.