Real Women, Real Answers: Finding God in the Midst of Your Day

Growing up, there was rarely a morning that would go by that wouldn’t find my amazing dad in our garage office space, on his face in prayer. Did I mention this usually occurred around 6 am? His dedication to seeking God each day was beyond inspiring. He was and continues to be a man who seeks after God’s heart with a passion.

Let me get real honest, however, and tell you that while I find that dedication to prayer and the Word incredibly admirable, my life as a busy mother of two small boys sometimes makes me feel as if sleep is a commodity as rare as gold. Getting up at 6 am for prayer is not entirely practical for my current stage of life. So where do I find my time with the Lord in the midst of extremely limited free time and demands on my life that leave me so exhausted that by the time I do have free time, I’m generally asleep?

Here are some practical ways of incorporating prayer and Bible study throughout even the busiest of days.

• Get up 15 minutes earlier than the rest of your household. While I may not be able to rise hours early, I can make a concentrated effort to rise 15 minutes earlier than normal. I think it’s important to start the day out right. I’ve noticed in my own life that days started with prayer and the Word vs. days that do not, find me much more focused and in tune with what the Lord is trying to say. It affects my mood, the way I interact with others, and even the way I parent my kids. We are in a constant battle of spirit vs. flesh (Mark 14:38), and often times it’s those first precious moments of the morning that determine whose going to win in my life that day.
• Put down your phone or computer! This is something that’s been challenging me a lot lately. In a society as “connected” as the one we currently live in, it’s so easy to become addicted to our phones or computers. We can be at the park with our kids, yet have our faces glued to our phones, checking our emails or catching up on our Twitter feed. Put them down! Limit the amount of time you spend on each device during the day. Instead, fill that time with a little more prayer and some study of the Word.
• Get involved in a weekly Bible study. I am a HUGE proponent of this, and even credit weekly Bible study with saving my life during a very dark time. It may be a sacrifice to make it work, but I urge you to do it. You will not regret it. There’s something great about the structure of a Bible study workbook. It gives you the push to sit down for 20 minutes or so each day and go through your study, completing that day’s work assignment. Do this. You will be so glad you did!
• Turn off the radio. Driving can be a great time to connect with God. Turn off the radio and talk to Him. Yes, you may get strange looks from people in passing cars (true story, it’s happened to me), but it’s worth it.
• Talk to God throughout your day like you talk to your spouse or a friend throughout the day. Tell Him what’s on your mind, your heart. Prayer is continual. It doesn’t have to be a long, one-time event each day. Think of you and God as being in a continual conversation, no matter where you are – the car, the shower, the grocery store – you can connect with Him.

What about you? Do you have some practical ways that you connect with God in the midst of your busy day? Please share them with us. We can all learn from each other and become closer to Him in the process. Sounds like a win to me!