Making Jesus a Priority

I have to admit that I have not been reading my bible or spending quiet time with the Lord on a regular basis the past few months. I know, I know, shame on me! I don’t need anyone to remind me how important it is to make quiet time with the Lord a priority, because when I don’t, I feel it in every aspect of my life!

When life gets busy or hectic, it can be easy to let your time with the Lord slip to the back burner or become a low priority. However, I feel it is just as easy when life is quieter, when the pace of life has slowed down, and we find ourselves idly wasting time on whatever-else-is-out-there. This is where I am at right now. The past few months have had some hectic moments, but they have been filled with more free time than not and more time to spend with Jesus than other months allow.

What is it in us that pulls us towards TV, the internet, time with friends/family or reading rather than pulling us toward Jesus? I wish I knew the answer to this question. If I did, I would save myself a lot of wasted time, and could help you too! But I am at a loss...

Not only have I felt a bit of a disconnect in my relationship with the Lord lately, I have also been fighting a spirit of depression and of emptiness. I fight an internal struggle everyday to stay happy, positive and to accomplish the smallest of tasks. What makes this even harder? I am doing it alone. I have not been leaning on Jesus like I need to, so I really have been trying to fight all of this all on my own. What an udder waste of time! As if I can change anything I have been battling on my own. Only Jesus can heal my heart and fill me up.

Have you noticed that when your relationship with the Lord falls to the back burner everything else in your life seems harder, more disorganized, and getting through the day is a struggle? There is a reason for that! God is the one who holds our life together, and when we let go of the hand that is holding us together, we fall apart.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. – Psalm 43:5

What I am realizing is that it will never be my nature to put down the book/turn off the TV and go into my room, open my bible and pray, until I make it a priority to do so everyday, and consciously make myself do it.

So, how does one make themselves keep a devotional time? Here are some ideas I am going to try:

1.)    Pick and time and set an alarm

Most all phones have alarm clocks in them. Pick a time of the day that works for you and set your alarm for this time. This will help you from getting distracted and forgetting about your quiet time

2.)    Have an accountability partner in your home

Do you have a roommate/spouse/child that you live with? Tell them that you would like to do your devotions every day at a certain time and ask them to help keep you accountable. Live alone? Ask a friend to text/call you everyday to keep you accountable.

3.)    Keep your bible on your pillow

Every morning, before you leave for the day, set your bible on your pillow. That way, if you forget to do your devotions during the day, it will be sitting there as a reminder before you lay down to sleep at night!

These are just a few ideas that will help keep me accountable. There are a lot of different ways that may work better for you!

There is such a peace in my life when I make God my first priority and right now, I miss that peace. God promises to walk through life with us, to help us, that we never have to fight through this world alone, and that’s a promise I want to take him up on! I know I can’t do life without him. I’m happiest when I’m closest to Jesus, so that’s where I am headed, closer to Him! Hope you will journey that way with me!

 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 14: ¹¹