You hustle hard all day long between your 9-5, helping the kids with homework, and doing the ever-growing heap of laundry. When is there time for your faith with such a crazy schedule?
I’ve wondered the same thing.
Here’s the cold hard truth that I discovered, though: There is no season with more time than another; life is always going to be busy.
You’re probably thinking, “Ashley, I thought you were going to solve my problem. Thanks a lot!”
Hold up, friend. The reality is that we must make time for Bible study. There is no substitute for focused time in His Word regularly. For me, it means getting up earlier and starting with my quiet time. Otherwise, I get sucked into my task list. What’s that time for you? You can find resources to help you in my blog called “Three Resources for Better Bible Study”.
Ok, that’s enough tough love for today. 😉
As promised, here are five tips for staying focused on Jesus throughout your busy day. When implemented, you will feel uplifted and refreshed.
1. Listen to sermons or podcasts. You can do so while you make dinner, on your lunch break, or when you’re showering. If you find yourself distracted, the beauty is you can listen again and again to get the most out of each teaching. I recommend sermons by John MacArthur, as well as messages from Emmanuel Community Church.
2. Trade screen time for Jesus time. If you’re like me, you’re tempted to grab your phone and scroll through social media whenever you have a few minutes. But what would our lives look like if we spent that time in God’s Word? For help staying accountable, try an app like the iPhone’s “Screen Time” to limit your focus on the phone. Don’t know what to read? Find out what passage your pastor will be preaching from on Sunday and read it throughout your week.
3. Start a prayer journal. This might sound like more work, but I want you to focus on writing down and praying for just three things a day. Use your phone, a notebook or whatever is convenient for you. Don’t know what to pray about? Try the JOY method:
- JESUS – Thank Him for the blessings in your life and praise Him for who He is.
- OTHERS – Lift up a friend or family member in prayer. Chances are someone has requested you pray for them recently. Go with that.
- YOURSELF – What’s on your mind/heart? Is there any unconfessed sin weighing you down?
Pray when you’re waiting to pick up your kids from practice, when you’re getting ready in the morning, or when you’re packing lunches. The best part is you will be able to look back at your journal and see the ways God has answered.
4. Listen to Christian music. I do this while I’m working, especially when I am having a particularly bad day. You will be amazed what it does for your mood. Music is also a great companion while you drive or work out. The song lyrics will get stuck in your head and encourage you for days to come. If you don’t have a Christian radio station in your area, try using an app like K-LOVE or Spotify.
5. Memorize Scripture. Again, this may seem like just another task, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Don’t know where to start? Check out Bible Gateway’s verse of the day or follow @bible_verses365_ on Instagram; commit to memorizing just one of those verses a week. Or, check out our sets of 52 Scripture cards, designed to help you memorize verses for a year. Display them on your night stand, desk, fridge, mirror, or anywhere you will frequently see them.
Overall, the key is multi-tasking, time replacement, and short but frequent times with the Lord throughout your day. Let the above ideas act as a springboard for your Bible study time. You’ve got this, sister!