After becoming a mom, I found it really hard to make time for God. There was always, always something to do, a child to take care of, a meal to make, an errand to run. And on top of all that I really needed sleep!
I didn’t want to have to wake up at 5 in the morning to read the Bible. Judge me all you want, but I’m just being honest here.
I definitely dealt with feelings of guilt about it. Not making time for God made me feel like I wasn’t a good Christian, and I was afraid God was upset with me for not making him a priority.
A few years ago, I started thinking more about what it means to have devotions as a Christian. Growing up, I was always told that I needed to read my Bible and pray every day. It was almost something that I was supposed to check off my list of things to do as a Christian to make God happy with me.
But….
Nothing I can do or not do is going to make God love me any more or any less.
Romans 8:38 says that NOTHING can separate you from God’s love, including yourself. He doesn’t put you in time out if you didn’t pray today or if you didn’t read your Bible.
If you have been carrying around guilt about the time you don’t spend having quiet time, let it go. Talk to God about it. He wants to hear from you.
My best advice is to seek God yourself. Get a journal and write out your thoughts. Search scripture. Don’t just take my word for it or what you hear from a pastor or teacher. Really look into God’s word see what He has to say about prayer and reading the Bible and the relationship He longs to have with you.
Now, I’m going to get into the practical side of making time for God even as a busy mom.
1. Change things up.
Just like with my friends or husband. We would get bored if we always did the same thing or talked about the same thing. We grow in our relationship when we experience new things together. Time with God may look different than it did before having kids.
As a mom, making time for God means you have to be flexible. Some times I only have time for a little. Some times I don’t have time at all, and I talk to God while my kids are napping or playing. The key is to remember the purpose behind your time with God – to simply spend time with Him and resting in Him throughout the day.
My friend, Katie calls it “worship in the little things” in this post Finding Your Rest in God.
He loves you. He knows what you are going through right now with your kids and your marriage and your friendships. He isn’t in heaven keeping record of the time you spent praying or reading His word.
He just wants your heart.
2. Decide on a specific time of day you plan to have your devotions.
Because if you don’t, it won’t happen. Just like getting a shower or exercising. You’ve got to plan for it.
That’s why morning routines are super important for me! I get up at 6:30, start my cup of coffee and have some quiet time while my husband takes a shower and the kids are in bed. Most days.
There are some nights I was up because my kids were sick, or there was a thunderstorm. On those days, I don’t stress if I wake up a little late and don’t have that time. Because the cool thing about God is, you can talk to Him anywhere anytime.
So maybe you don’t get to pray first thing in the morning. How about while you are doing the dishes? How about as you take a walk?
3. Make prayer an all day conversation.
The Bible actually says to pray without ceasing. I believe God wants a continual conversation. So I’ll shoot little prayers up to Him all day as I think of things.
If I start to get angry with my kids and feel like yelling, I’ll quickly pray, “Lord help me in this moment.”
If I find myself worrying, I’ll take the thoughts captive and shoot another prayer, “God I know your ways are perfect. Help me rest in you and stop worrying about what I can’t control.”
SO think of prayer that way. Yes, It’s great to start your day talking to God but it doesn’t have to stop there. You also don’t have to wait until the next morning to pray.
Make your quiet time enjoyable.
- My quiet time with God each day is something I look forward to for a few reasons.
- It’s when I enjoy a hot cup of coffee.
- It’s quiet time where nobody needs me.
- I can share my heart with God in the quiet.
- I have a special chair and lamp that is “my quiet time corner”.
What is something you could do to make your quiet time extra special? Maybe you could light a candle, get a pretty journal, play music. Whatever makes you excited for that special time and really sets you up for time with God.
4. Creative Ways to Spend Time with God:
- Read through a book of the Bible at your own pace.
- Use a devotional book.
- Listen to praise and worship songs when you are too tired to read. One of my favorites for morning devotions is Shane and Shanes Psalms album (affiliate link). The songs are literally scripture put to music.
- Listen to an audio devotion by your pastor or another Christian speaker.
- Read a chapter in Proverbs.
- Read scripture passages about certain topics. If you’re feeling anxious, read through the verses about anxiety or worry.
If you have any tips for spending time with God, leave them in the comments below. I’d love to hear!
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