Creative Times with God

Spending time with God. One of the most important habits to form in our lives is spending time with God. Today, let’s choose to slow down. Calm the chaos. Let’s take a look at the rushing around that happens in our life and chose to set healthy boundaries and develop healthy habits in our lives. Habits that honor God and strengthen our relationship with Him.

This used to be me…Rushing!

Frantic really, late for dropping the kids off at daycare. Fighting traffic. Finally making it to work. Purse, keys, cup of her favorite coffee and briefcase loaded in her arms. Rummaging through her belongings, trying to find the ID card so she can clock in. She barely makes it with 5 seconds to spare. Clocking in, hands full, thoughts and heart overwhelmed.

Trying to gather her thoughts before she really puts herself into a productive mode; she reaches for her phone.

Her social media newsfeeds are loaded with all her favorite Christian authors, speakers, and bloggers. She enjoys all the encouraging scripture verses and words of encouragment they share every day.

Scrolling while sipping her coffee she finds one or two that she can relate to or that is “needed” for today. Logging out, she switches her phone to vibrate and she works hard to conquer her day.

Finishing her shift she’s off to fight the evening traffic, pick the kids up at school, rushing home to make dinner and then off to the kid’s soccer games. Never stopping. No quiet time to pray and read the bible for herself. Her overwhelmed schedule just won’t allow it.

This will not develop a habit of spending time with God. It will never replace reading and studying God’s Word for yourself. This is not adequately spending time with God.

Life is way to hard and we need the time of baring your soul to God.

I’m concerned this may be a big problem in today’s fast-paced, modern Christian society. It simply is not enough. This fast food version of the Bible and quiet time with God; rushing about, not really knowing where time is going, but fully understanding that you simply do not have enough to sit at the feet of Jesus will not help us cling to God in our everyday struggles.

Your heart yearns for something more between you and God.

Spending Time With God

Hear my heart dear sister’s in Christ.

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter nor Pinterest. They will not replace your Bible. The 5-second glimpse of a bible verse in your newsfeed with its fancy font over a background of some wanderer trailing through a field, although beautiful and inspiring in the moment, will not give you what you need to get you through this hard life.

I offer this whisper of hope. A hope in hard times.

You can only persevere by being intentional about your quiet time with the Lord and living a life approved by Him. It is a priority above all priorities in a mature Christian’s life.

Living a life approved by our Heavenly Father includes quiet time with Him. In quiet time you are just that, quiet. You are reading and studying His word. Pondering over His word. You are reading and writing scripture and applying it to your life.

Going before Him with humbleness, contrite spirit and trembling at His Word. (Isaiah 66:5)

Praying, baring your soul, to God. Allowing Him, through this time, to renew your thoughts, spirit, and soul.

Going before Him broken, struggling with your flesh, and leaving Him renewed and restored. Strengthened to face another day. It’s a beautiful exchange that can only take place by sitting at His feet. Not by the fast food bible of social media.

Not that these images, christian memes, are wrong in and of themselves. I too enjoy and create these images for my own social media accounts. Reading these christian memes can be a nice mental break or pick me up on your lunch break while perusing social media, but they must not be our only source of God and His word on any given day.

Christian memes can also be a great way to grab someones attention and have them further investigate all who God is. They can be a place for a new believer in Christ to start off at and then dive deeper into a relationship with God.

But, God is calling us deeper, much deeper.

Why Should I Spend Time With God

Why? Why should we invest deeply in our relationship God and not just use memes on social media to be a quick fix?

Because life is hard! Sister, life. is. hard.

Suffering is very real and the bible tells us to expect it. When grief overtakes us from life’s hardships these fast food versions of spending time with God is not enough to see us through the fire.

“Your mind is the battleground on which the war for your emotions, purpose, effectiveness, and fullness of life is won or lost. It’s your mind that is attacked daily by the enemy. It’s your mind that the world is trying to influence for its own benefit. And it’s your mind that the Lord desires to renew daily in order for you to live in abundant relationship with him. So if the mind truly is a battleground, how do you come out the winner? How do you come out victorious over Satan and his schemes?

Scripture says clearly that to achieve victory over your mind it must be continually renewed by the power of God’s word. Romans 12:2 states “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” God puts conforming to the world and being transformed by the renewal of your mind in opposition. There is no grey area. Your mind is either being won for the kingdom of God or lost to the world. You are either thinking pleasing thoughts to God or not. You are either experiencing the abundant life Jesus made available to you or not.” – Bible.com

How Do I Renew My Mind

How do you renew your mind?

Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Set your thoughts on the things of God. Spending time with God by reading the bible and praying is how you renew your mind and grow your faith. Begin every day by setting your mind on the wonderful character of the living God and your identity in Christ.

How Do You Spend Your Time With God

Here are 10 creative ways to spend time with God:

Scripture Writing – Scripture writing is one my of favorite ways to spend time with God and I usually incorporate with with prayer journaling.
Prayer Journaling – If you like journaling, you will love prayer journaling. After I write out my prayers, I like to decorate my prayer journal with stickers ans washi tape too.
Bible Journaling – Bible journaling doesn’t have to be only for artist and crafty people! Click here for simple bible journaling ideas.
In The Car – When I used to work at the hospital, my commute was a good 45 minute drive one way. I was an exhusted new mom going on little sleep and I would use that 45 minute drive to talk to God, listen to sermons and pray for the other drivers that passed by me.
As A Family – One of the greatest legacies we can give our kids is a strong faith in the Lord. They oftentimes will mimick us parents; teach your kids to pray. Let them see you pray as a family and even before you eat meals together.
With Music – Blast some praise and woship music and allow your heart to connect with God as you thank Him and worship Him. While I encouage regular worship and praise time with God, I also encouarge you to be careful who you listen to and be mindful of that their theology lines up with the word of God.
Bible Study Group – Does your church offer a bible study class or small group? Attend! It’s a great way to dive into God’s word together with other believers. If you church doesn’t offer this, consider joining my group, The One Thing Community.
Your Church Family – Attend church regularly. Connecting with your church family not only is a great way to spend time with God, it also helps you develeop close friendships with other christian women. We need each other!
Accountability Partner – Your bestie, sunday school teacher, pastor’s wife or someone else you respect and trust to always point you to Jesus…all would be great choices for an accountability partner as you spend time with God and hold each other accountable. Reach out and tell your sister that you need her!
In nature – l love waling trails. A quiet, easy stroll through God’s nature. I enjoy listening to the rustling of the leaves, songs of the birds and trickling of the streams. And I pray. I lift up to God all that lays heavy on my heart and ask Him to help me and change me.
At The Gym – Get that cardio while using headphones and listen to a good sermon or worship music. Time at the gym seems to go faster when I do this. Lose Weight and Grow Your Faith at the same time!

“Has not my hand made all these things and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 NIV

Will you join me, sisters, in spending time with God? Being intentional about your relationship, bible reading and quiet time with God. Setting aside time for just you and your audience of One. Seeking Him. Kneeling before Him with humbleness, a contrite heart and trembling at His word.

What is your favorite way for spending time with God? Let us know in the comments below!

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