How To Make Time For God When You’re a Busy Mama
How to Make Time for God
Before I became a mama, I had difficulty making time for God in my every day life. Between teaching full time, housework, cooking, and spending time with my husband, I would squeeze some Bible reading in or skim a devotional in the morning before the kids came in to class. It only got harder once I had my son. Now that I have a toddler and a baby on the way, making time for God is more important than ever.
What is spending time with God?
Simple. It’s having time during the day (whether a few minutes or hours) set aside so that you can conversate with God , whether through reading the Bible or spiritual books, prayer, or worship. Now, I don’t mean just in passing. For example, casting a fleeting thought to the Lord isn’t spending time with Him. Time with God should be intentional and consistent.
Why is making time with God important?
Making time with the Lord is so important because it’s building the relationship between you and Him. Many people believe that their time with God at church is enough, but Jesus wants His people to put Him first in everything (Matthew 6:33). As women and mothers, this can be so hard when we are focused on all of the things that need to get done. We put all of our efforts into our every day tasks and if there’s time left over, we get to the spiritual stuff.
But the story of Mary and Martha tells how Jesus wants us to spend our time. Martha was busy, just like so many of us. She was so busy that she got angry with her sister Mary, who was sitting at Jesus’s feet, and spoke to Him about it. His reply was, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus knew that Martha was taking care of necessary tasks, but He also knew that time with Him was more precious than the every day cares of this world.
How to start spending time with God.
Wake up earlier than the rest of your household.
Wait before you cast your stones! Trust me, this one is the hardest for me I think. I sleep in with my son because I stay up late once he’s asleep. But waking up 15-30 minutes before everyone else to spend time with God is just the best way to start your day. Even if all you get time for once the coffee is made is 5 minutes of prayer, I guarantee you’ll feel better as your day picks up.
Have a designated area where you can go alone.
Jesus mentions going into a closet secretly and praying to Him (Matt 6:6). While the context is that He was teaching against fasting and making a scene of prayer in front of everyone, it still remains true that Jesus longs for that one-on-one relationship with His people. For me, this place is my couch. You could use an office, the front porch, or your bedroom. The goal is simply to be alone with the Lord for a few moments without interruption.
Have your materials ready.
Keep your Bible, devotional, pens, paper, journals, and whatever else you need for time with God in an easily accessible place. As a busy mom, you know more than anyone that sometimes schedules get out of whack, and you may find that you have a stolen 5 minutes all to yourself. Grab that devotional and read the passage for the day or jot down a few things in your gratitude journal.
Take a few days to study where your time goes.
Not sure if you can squeeze the time in for reading your Bible? As you go throughout the day, keep a list of all the things you do in your rare moments of spare time. I bet you’ll find you spend way more time on social media or browsing Amazon than you thought you did. Instead of grabbing your phone to get on Facebook, snatch up your Bible and read a couple of passages. There’s great apps available if it’s easier for you to make time for the Lord by using your phone. Just remember: make technology work for you. Don’t get sucked in to everything else it has to offer.
Make intentional time with your children.
I can specifically remember this one time when I was changing my son’s diaper months ago that I started telling him the story of Jesus. By the time I was done, I was so uplifted! He was only around 7 months at the time. If your day is super busy, then instead of reading a nursery rhyme or storybook, read a story from the Bible. Instead of putting on animal puppet shows, put on a puppet show of Jonah and the whale. Engage in conversation with your children and be inspired as they ask you questions.
Use the TV as a resource
There are some amazing movies and television shows about all kinds of stories in the Bible. Watch them! I personally am loving The Chosen series, and I really like how they depict Jesus and His desciples. Just beware that more mainstream movies tend to veer away from the Bible and become more like fantasy epics than historical biographies.
Get that worship music going.
Part of spending time with God is worshipping! This includes singing praises and dancing. So while the kids are playing and you’re folding all the laundry, blast your favorite worship music and get those feet moving! But don’t just enjoy the good feeling or the sound of the music, really think about the words and how they apply to you and your life. I don’t know how many times I’ve been able to have quality worship time with the Lord because I focused on the messages of songs and talked to the Lord about it.
Pray.
The Bible says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) That basically means intense prayer that produces results. You can pray like this in your quiet place, in the car, or anywhere else you find you have a moment to yourself. But don’t be afraid to pray like this with your children. You are the spiritual example for them, and teaching them how to pray at a young age will help them through trials as they grow up.
Make a sacrifice.
People are creatures of comfort, and it can be really hard for us as moms to give up our precious “me time” for spending time with the Lord. Let me tell you: it’s WORTH IT (preaching to the choir here). This can look like getting up earlier, or going to bed later. It could be that when you grab your phone you pull up a Bible app instead of social media. Instead of grabbing that fictional novel, you pick up your devotional. If you have the choice of a your favorite TV show or a movie about Jesus, you choose the movie. These are all sacrifices because it’s not naturally what you want to do, and God loves sacrifices!
Memorize scripture.
Take a quick moment to write down a scripture that you love or want to learn and put it in a place where you’ll see it often. Then, every time you walk by, recite it to yourself or to your children. When you get a moment to dwell on it, think about what the scripture means and how it applies to your life. Learn scriptures with your children. Scripture is so important to know because not only is it God’s Word, but it can also be recalled to encourage you through times of trouble.
Tips for success
- Create a routine. Getting into a habit or routine can help foster the love of spending time with God.
- Be consistent. Show up for Him every day and make the time, even it’s a few minutes throughout the day here and there.
- Start small. 10 minutes well spent is better than an hour planned and not done.
- Leave room for flexibility. If you miss your morning routine, add some time throughout the day with some of the above suggestions.
- If you don’t know where to start reading the Bible, I recommend Luke or John. These books tell the story of Jesus but aren’t overwhelming in chapters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last Thoughts
Spending time with God is essential to being a Christian, even as busy moms. But there are some quick and easy ways to make that time in your day, and as you build more consistent routines you’ll find that you have more and more time for God than you ever thought possible. I’d love to hear your ways of spending time with God when your busy! Comment below to share your thoughts or insights!
