7 Practical Ways to Make Time for God

“I need to make time for God in my daily life.”

“I need to pray more.”

“I need to stay consistent in reading the Bible.”

If you’re like most of us, you probably said one (or all) of the above to yourself last year, and it was among your New Year’s resolutions this year. Well, you didn’t keep up, and you still said it again last month, and last week, and maybe yesterday.

But no matter how intensely you feel you need to make time for God, you never seem to come around to do so. There’s always work to do, money to make, and family to nurture. God would understand. Sure. God understands that we need to survive down here. But hey, that’s not how it ought to be. So, let’s talk about how you can finally ‘make time’ for God.

Who Is God to You?

First of all, where does God sit on your priority list? How important is God to you? Pick any one of the following – be sincere.

1. My life depends on Him
2. He’s super important to me
3. He’s just a big deal in my life
4. He’s not a bad addition
5. I love Him, but some other things are more important

Now, based on your answer, what time should you give God?

If you choose that your life depends on Him, then He must be number one on your priority list and number one on your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to-do lists. This means that spending time with God should be among the first few things you do after you open your eyes in the morning.

Yes, because nothing else should come before something your life depends on. If you were having a heart attack right now, would you go like, “You know what, going to the emergency room can wait. I need to complete this presentation at work?” Certainly not! Getting to the hospital will be the only thing on your mind at this point because your life depends on it!

Nevertheless, spending time with God like this will not be because you want to tick off your to-do list, to avert God’s anger, or merely to enjoy His goodness throughout the day. Instead, it would be because you love God and your life truly depends on Him.

So, it may be that God is indeed a top priority for you, but you can’t just bring yourself to that point of putting all other things on hold to make time for Him. The only counsel I have for you is to START TODAY. Pause this reading and say a word or two to God. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was when you last made time with God. Tell Him how grateful you are for the life He gave you and all He does for you.

When you’re done, schedule your calendar to remind you to pray again first thing tomorrow. After tomorrow’s prayer, schedule time again for the following day. Keep the streak going. You don’t have to wait for something spectacular to push you to the place of intimacy with God. You’ve got to make the move yourself.

Schedule Time with God

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Work is important, yeah. That’s why 8:00am (or whenever you resume) has been permanently (though automatically) scheduled for work and you’d never be found going to the grocery store at that time. In the same manner, if God is truly important to you, then you should have a schedule for meeting with Him.

Hey, this isn’t about being religious. It’s your proof that spending time with God is important enough to occupy a given time on your schedule every day. So, yes, choose a time and duration, be firm with that time, and never let anything snatch it.

When scheduling time for God, go for periods when you’d have fewer chances to be disturbed or distracted or distracted. So, first thing in the morning or late at night would be great. But be sure to keep to it like your life depends on it (because your life depends on God).

Don’t worry, you don’t need to be perfect at scheduling time with God. If you miss a day, do it at a later time or ensure you do not miss the next day.

Do Every Second with God

Another way to ensure that we are making time for God is to do everything we do in God. This means that we retain that consciousness of who God is to us all the time. This can take the form of praying short, focused prayers now and then, talking to God all the time, and filling our thoughts and activities with God throughout the day.

Make Your Environment Conducive for the Presence of God

God does not dwell in physical places. But the atmosphere of our lives determines how much of His presence we can accommodate and express. If you consistently place yourself in an atmosphere that takes you far from the consciousness of God, you will find it very challenging to make time for God.

So, if you want to make time for God, always scrutinize your environment and modify it accordingly.

• Play songs and sounds that keep you in the flow of who God is to you.
• Steer clear from people and places that promote the works of darkness and the flesh.
• Harness visuals to accentuate the consciousness of God in your home. Think about art and written scriptures.
• Keep your Bible and journal close to your sleeping area.

Associate with People Who Help You Make Time For God

Making time for God may require you to hang around a set of people who help you retain God in your consciousness.

Think about placing yourself in the company of other by joining a local church. The church’s schedule and meeting periods can also be counted as making time for God. They create moments where you can share intimacy with God, receive from Him, and increase in your knowledge of Him.

Leverage Technology to Make Time for God

I know. Technology (smart devices) are often associated with distractions. But that’s not always the case. Technology can be anything you want it to be – even your ally in making time for God. So, here are some recommendations for how to harness those devices in your walk with God.

• Alarm/Google calendar to remind you to spend time with God in prayer, worship, and the study of the Word.
• Bible apps like YouVersion to help you keep up with bible reading and study.
• Join WhatsApp communities, X Spaces, and Instagram Lives.
• YouTube and Instagram to help you join faith communities where you can learn more practical ways to spend time with God.

Count the cost of Not Making Time for God

This part may come off as cold, but you’ll benefit a great deal if you count the cost of not spending time with God.

So, let’s say work is the reason you don’t spend time with God. With work, the reward is likely money, status, and connection, which can undoubtedly lose value in a short time. But when you spend time with God (without compromising on your work), you enjoy His everlasting presence, wisdom, help, provision, and much more. Now, imagine missing out on all these for things that aren’t even guaranteed.

Clearly, this example doesn’t do justice to what I’m trying to explain here. But whenever you find yourself bailing out on God for any reason, be sure to place stuff on a balance so you can count your costs.

Bonus Tip

The next time you catch yourself saying you need to make time for God, I want you to pause everything you’re doing and ACTUALLY TALK to God. Pray for 5 minutes, read a chapter of the Bible, worship in songs for 10 minutes, or just meditate on God’s goodness. Make time immediately and don’t wait for time to come to you because it will never come.

Conclusion

In reality, God isn’t Someone we ‘make’ time for. As a Christian, God should be the center of your life, and every other thing should be scheduled around your commitment to Him. Every other activity should be placed right after ‘time with God’ is snuggled up comfortably on your schedule, not the other way around.