How to Spend Time with God when You're Busy

Do you want to develop your relationship with God and find time to pray for your family and friends despite being really busy? Do you feel your life and your responsibilities spinning out of control? Is life passing by quickly, before you have had time to figure out your purpose or calling? Have you not been able to find time to rebuild yourself spiritually? Use one or more of the four times below as your time to communicate with God and draw closer to Him daily.

1. Commute
You may not be a morning person and therefore do not wake up early, read your Bible and pray, eat a healthy breakfast, etc. It is likely however, that you commute to your job. Either by bus, car, bike, walking, or subway, you have some mode of transporting yourself to work. These precious moments in time are opportunities for you to talk with God or read the Bible or a devotional (assuming you are not driving) instead of just listening to a talk show on your way to work. Praying and developing your relationship with God in the morning has many benefits. You are starting your day off in communication with the one who created you, the one who placed purpose into your life, the one who is in control of all things. Start your day by thanking God for his grace and mercy and by asking Him what His plan is for you for that day. You can pray, listen to encouraging music, read your Bible, do a daily devotional, sing, etc.

2. Lunch time
Though your job may seemingly rule your life for eight hours or more per day, there is at least one thing that belongs to you during your day: your break time or lunch time. This is a great opportunity in the middle of your day to recharge. This would be a great time to read some Psalms or Proverbs or to listen to encouraging music and talk to God about your day. If you have frustrating co-workers or a supervisor who takes advantage of you, use this time to pray for them and ask God how He would like you to react. If you have a major project or are experiencing stress in your workplace, use this time to calm yourself and to focus on your mental and spiritual health. Relax. Communicate with God; He wants to hear what you have to say.

3. Kitchen time
If you are a person who likes to cook dinner (or at the very least microwave dinner) use those moments while you are in the kitchen to pray or to sing to the Lord. Reflect on your day. Think about opportunities that you had to honor and glorify God. Were you able to do so? What could you do differently tomorrow? Ask God for His will for your life. Pray for any of your family, co-workers and friends who need prayer (all of them).

4. Bedtime
How come movies always show adults telling kids to kneel by their bed and say their nighttime prayers, but the adults never do the same? It is important that we too make time to thank God for the day. We should ask God for the forgiveness of our sins, we should ask God to speak to us in our dreams. We can ask God to recharge us during our sleep and give us a fresh outlook on life the next day. We can ask God for protection and the strength to do His will the following day. It is important that we give God our time and attention throughout our day. He never stops watching us. He cannot force us to communicate with Him; He waits for us to give Him our attention.

If you miss a day, don't beat yourself up about it. God is not all about rules and strict schedules and major regulations. He is someone who enjoys relationships, which is why he created us. The reality is, we make time for what we want. Choose to give God some of your time each day and you will notice your relationship with Him growing and changing and your relationships with others progressing as well.