Connecting with God regularly is so important for Christians. When you spend time with God, you’ll grow closer to Him, strengthen your faith, and experience more peace and joy.
However, in our busy world filled with work, family responsibilities, and seemingly endless distractions, finding time to spend with God can be a real challenge.
Whether you’re a new believer looking to build a relationship with Jesus or a seasoned Christian needing to revive your spiritual life, growing in your relationship with God is essential.
In this blog post, I’ll share 5 practical ways you can spend more time each day with God in 2024.
These are actionable tips you can easily add to your daily routine to enhance your spiritual life.
Let’s get started!
1. Invite God Into Your Daily Activities
One easy way to spend time with God is to invite Him into the activities that make up your day.
You can start by playing worship music while brushing your teeth, getting dressed, or making your morning coffee. The lyrics will get you focused on God from the moment you wake up.
As you drive to work, or school or run errands, pray out loud or listen to sermons and Christian podcasts.
During the day ask God to guide the conversations you have with coworkers, friends, and family throughout the day.
On your work breaks or when walking the dog, do “prayer walks” where you talk to God about what’s on your mind.
Looking to add more movement to your spiritual life? Put in some headphones and praise God during exercise by listening to upbeat worship playlists.
Involve God in daily tasks to transform the mundane into sacred moments where you can grow closer to Him.
“Pray continually.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)
biblegateway.com
2. Designate Focused Time With God
While inviting God into your activities is wonderful, it’s also important to set aside undistracted time to dive deep spiritually.
Aim to spend at least 5-10 minutes each day fully focused on prayer, reading the Bible, or both. If your schedule is very tight, even just 5 minutes makes a huge difference!
To prevent your devices from disrupting your spiritual time, put them in another room. Out of sight, out of mind.
If possible, create a designated prayer space as your personal sanctuary with God.
Having a consistent physical space to meet with Him helps train your mind to connect spiritually in that area.
When first establishing a routine time with God, do it when you have the most energy and self-control. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Block time accordingly.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35 (NIV)
biblegateway.com
3. Dive Into the Word of God
Reading Scripture helps you to better understand God’s character and deepens your relationship with Him.
But with busy schedules, it can be hard to sit down and focus on the Bible for long stretches. This is where Bible apps come in handy!
Apps like YouVersion, Olive Tree, BibleGateway and Bible.com make reading the Bible accessible anywhere since they’re right on your phone.
Many Bible apps have playlists, devotionals, and reading plans tied to topics you can relate to like marriage, work, anxiety, etc.
This makes reading the Bible feel more personalized and enjoyable!
To take your Scripture engagement up a notch, join a small group Bible study through your church.
Discussing the Bible in the community keeps you accountable and offers new perspectives.
If you’re brand new to the Bible, start with the Gospels to read about Jesus’ life and teachings straight from the source. Try the MSG or NLT Bible translations for easy-to-understand language.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
biblegateway.com
4. Listen to Uplifting Christian Content
In today’s world, you can have worship music, sermons, and prayers piped directly into your ears no matter where you are.
One of the easiest ways to spend more time with God is through listening to audio content that focuses your mind on Him.
Christian music is a powerful way to praise God while tackling your to-do list. Check out worship artists like Elevation Worship, Hillsong United, and Housefires.
You can also listen to sermons during your commute to infuse your travel time with spiritual growth. Pastors like Steven Furtick, Joel Osteen, Joseph Prince, Joyce Meyer, and many more post audio weekly.
Christian podcasts are another great option to strengthen your faith on the go. Podcasts from churches, pastors, and even Christian celebrities allow you to grow in your walk with Christ at your convenience.
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
biblegateway.com
5. Set Spiritual Goals and Eliminate Distractions
Like any relationship, growing your connection with God requires intentionality. Set specific spiritual goals to motivate you to honor scheduled time with Him.
Start with small daily goals like “Pray for 10 minutes”, “Meditate for 15 minutes”, and “Read two chapters in the Bible.” Then expand the goals over time.
To eliminate distractions, put your phone away and turn off notifications during set aside time with God. Close out of extra browser tabs on your computer. Find a quiet location.
If you struggle with boredom in spiritual practices, add variety – try a new devotional, explore a creative prayer journaling technique, or listen to the Bible rather than reading. This keeps things interesting!
To drive home the importance of uninterrupted time with God, consider fasting from food and things that distract you like social media, TV, or sugary treats. Fasting helps increase your spiritual hunger for God.
Key Takeaways
- Inviting God into your daily tasks and conversations makes spiritual growth a natural part of life.
- Designating uninterrupted focused time to pray and read Scripture is vital for going deeper with God.
- Bible apps and audio Bible options make engaging Scripture convenient anywhere.
- Listening to worship music, sermons & Christian podcasts infuses everyday activities with divine truth.
- Setting spiritual goals and minimizing distractions helps carve out consistent time to meet with God.
Investing in your relationship with God reaps eternal rewards and equips you to thrive in life spiritually.
Even just incorporating one of these practical tips can make a big difference. Find what works for your lifestyle and stick with it through the new year.
I hope these suggestions inspire you to wholeheartedly pursue God in 2024. He loves you so much and desires a deeper connection with you!
Let me know in the comments below the ways you practically spend meaningful time with God amidst the busyness of life. I may include them in future posts!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What if I don’t know how to pray?
A. Prayer is simply a conversation with God. You don’t need fancy words. Just talk to Him honestly about what’s on your heart – your thoughts, struggles, dreams, fears, and requests. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
Q. What if I fall behind on my Bible reading plan?
A. Don’t get discouraged! Life gets busy and plans fail at times. Just pick back up where you left off or start a new plan. Even just doing one chapter a day keeps you connected to God’s Word.
Q. How do I hear God’s voice?
A. God speaks to us in many ways, including through Scripture, prayer impressions, other Christians, circumstances, creation, and even godly desires in your heart. Ask Him to reveal His voice to you.
Q. What if my mind wanders while I’m praying or reading the Bible?
A. Our minds tend to wander – that’s normal! As soon as you catch your mind drifting, gently bring it back to focus. Reading Scripture out loud helps strengthen concentration.
Q. I struggle to understand the Bible. What resources would you recommend?
A. Great question! I recommend the YouVersion app, packed with reading plans and devotionals to bring clarity. Also, check out The Bible Project videos and the NLT or Message Bible translations for easy reading.
Q. What are your favorite Christian podcasts?
A. Some of my favorites are Elevation with Steven Furtick, Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, 5 Minutes in Church History, Got Questions Podcast, Joyce Meyer, and Joel Osteen Sermons. They are the perfect way to squeeze spiritual growth into small pockets of time.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
