Everyone knows how demanding life can be on our time. Because of this, it’s so important to keep our focus on Jesus and invite Him into all the facets of our lives, not just our devotional time. As a pastor’s wife and mother of 4 children, and when they were young, I not only found it difficult to find devotional time, I also carried the burden of guilt for not spending what I thought was quality devotional time. I had the mindset that the only quality time with God was one to two hours of uninterrupted time—one chunk of my day. For many of us, we live feeling that our devotional time is less than what it should be.
When my husband and I had just moved to our home in the country, I ordered some trees to plant in our yard. The directions specifically said, “For optimum growth, water a little, a lot”.” With trees or plants in general, it’s best to water them a little more often, than a lot once in a while. This avoids run-off. This same concept applies to us spiritually. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, it says to “pray without ceasing”. This literally means to talk to God, worship God, a little, a lot, throughout the whole day. We are to have many “mini-moments” many times throughout the entire day; not just one chunk, once a day. The same rule applies to eating. You don’t eat all the food your body needs in 24 hours, all at once. You eat 2,3,4 times a day; smaller amounts often. Your body actually acclimates food and nutrients better in smaller amounts more often, than large amounts of food, once. The body will more than likely discard nutrients if a large amount of food is eaten all at once. God knows how busy we can get, and He understands the demands on our lives. He is not asking most of us to spend two hours of non-stop devotional time every day.
When I was single and living at home, it was quite easy to find that amount of time to spend pouring myself into God’s Word. After I got married though and had children, I discovered that 2 hours of uninterrupted time was a luxury and hard to come by. Yet I still felt guilty for not spending that time with Him everyday. God spoke to my heart to stop thinking that my relationship with Him was any less intimate than it had been before. He simply said that it’s just different now. I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to quit feeling guilty and backslidden, and to rethink my devotional time as a continual investment all throughout my day.
Our relationship with God needs to encompass all the facets of our lives, our husband or our wife, our children, our home, our family, our friends, our work, and our finances and other responsibilities. We shouldn’t squeeze God into one section of our day and time. Each day we should include the acknowledgment and awareness of His presence, all throughout the day no matter what we are doing.
When another person is at home with us, we are aware they are there. We talk some, not all the time, but on the forefront of our minds, we know and acknowledge their presence. We are not alone. That’s the way each day should be with God. We should talk out loud, say hi, and tell Him what we are thinking at different times of the day. We should talk to Him like He has skin on. No different than another person actually sitting right beside us. God hears every word we say, He listens, and He will respond. Even if it is just the peaceful rest you feel when you talk with Him.
We need to remember to water our spirit man a little a lot, and spend many mini-moments with the Lord each day. Our relationship with Him will become increasingly intimate and our joy will be made full. As the Bible says in Psalms 16:11, “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is the fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” So when we acknowledge His presence all throughout the day, we are actually inviting His joy to fill our hearts in every moment.
Some simple and helpful ways of acknowledging Him are to sing praises, talk to Him, think about and say verses out loud, or simply say, “Praise the Lord” when things go right and when things don’t, and ultimately read the Bible and pray as time permits.
So when your days seem as busy as a one-armed man hanging wallpaper, remember to slow down, breathe and take many mini-moments throughout your day to tell the Lord He is your strength and joy and you love Him. This will help you grow, and you will be refreshed and full of grace in your walk with the Lord.
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” Deuteronomy 6:5-8