I became a Christian when I was 22. I was so excited to learn more about this God who had saved me. I was single and looking forward to a new life in Christ. I studied the Bible and prayed for hours at a time. I was hungry to understand my new faith and get to know Jesus. Bible study and prayer were not burdens to me but great blessings.
Fast forward 12 years. I was married with three small children under the age of four, working full-time, commuting an hour to and from work. My job was demanding. I was working 50+ hours per week as a salesperson. Home was demanding. I had mounds of laundry, dirty bathrooms, and minimal meals. There was never enough time to keep up with everything. My life was chaotic. I was exhausted all the time. I thought if I could just quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom all my problems would be solved. I would have more time. I could get my home in order, spend quality time with my boys, and improve my health. And I would be able to have consistent quiet times with the Lord.
Every stay-at-home mom reading this knows how laughable my dream was. But I truly thought being home full-time would give me more time to read the Bible and pray. When I was finally able quit my job I realized how wrong I had been! At least when I was working I could squeeze in my devotion during my lunch break. During my morning drive I could pray for my day and my family. On the drive home I could decompress from the day. Now, at home, I felt like I never had a minute to myself. I was on all the time. Not only was being at home all day with three small children the hardest job I had ever had, but I was also facing health issues because of exhaustion and poor diet. On top of all that I fought with constant guilt because I had no time for prayer and Bible study.
As I cried out to the Lord, little by little, He showed me the way. First of all, He showed me He was not mad or disappointed in me. He saw my heart and knew I was trying to do the best I could. Second, He showed me that my expectations were off. I was the one who was beating myself up for not being able to spend hours studying the Word. My single life was a season that I would never get back. Motherhood was a new season. The rules were different. And I had to adapt my expectations. This was humbling for me.
I learned that if I was going to keep my spiritual life strong I would have to do two things:
- Fill the pockets with Jesus.
- Put His Word in my ears.
Find and fill the pockets with Jesus
I asked the Lord to show me little pockets of time during the day where I could squeeze in a minute to read my devotional. I wrote out verses to memorize and meditate on, usually verses concerning areas where I was struggling, like my health or dealing with worry and fear. I found if I had resources ready and I had my eyes open for pockets of time where I could fill my mind with something good, it gave me strength and a knowing that God was with me, even when I felt alone or inadequate.
Sometimes my prayer time was in the shower. My husband asked why I took so long in the shower. I told him it was the only time during the day when no one could get to me and I could pray!
Sometimes I would put on a video for my kids to watch so I could run to the bedroom with a cup of coffee for a much-needed quick quiet-time with Jesus. Don’t judge me. I call this wisdom. At the time I heard others say putting on a video for the kids to give yourself a few minutes was lazy and bad for the kids. But I decided losing my cool and blowing up in front of them because of not having any time alone was more harmful for all of us. You have to know your own limitations and pick your battles wisely. There is grace.
God helped me find and fill these pockets of time with Him. And He showed me that devotions don’t have to be perfect to be good. The whole point of a quiet time with Jesus is to talk to and hear from Him.
Your time for prayer may be when you are feeding or rocking the baby. It may be during the kids’ nap-time or while you’re waiting in the school pick-up line. Maybe it’s while the kids watch their favorite show, as you drive to the grocery store, or when everyone is finally in bed.
A perfect devotion doesn’t have to include candles or coffee or pretty highlighters and pens. The perfect devotion is the one where the Holy Spirit meets you and you connect with heaven.
Put the Word in Your Ears
Another way I was able to squeeze God into my day was to put the Word in my ears.
There are so many helpful resources we can use to renew our minds as we go about our daily tasks.
You can listen to podcasts. Many churches put their sermons on podcasts and some very gifted Bible teachers do podcast devotionals. They’re short and can be very encouraging and helpful for getting the Word inside your ears, and then down into your heart.
You can listen to worship music throughout the day. That’s a great way to change the atmosphere of your home and the attitude of your heart.
Another great way to put the Word in your ears is to use a Bible app or audiobook. You can find free versions on Audible and Youtube. Sign up for the verse-a-day Bible app. You can use audio resources to set your mind on things above as you go about your daily work.
Another way to get the Word in your ears is with family devotions. As you read the Word to your children it will also renew your own heart and mind. Many times as I’ve shared a scripture or read a Psalm with my children I’ve discovered it was just the Word I needed to hear myself. When we water faith in our children’s hearts we are also watering our own.
You can be creative and bust out of the guilt. Remember, God is for you. He’s not judging you for not doing enough. He’s cheering you on. He wants to help you to find new ways to connect with Him and renew your mind in His Word.
Time with Jesus can be the most precious time in your day. It can be where we find God‘s grace, realize His mercy, and discover how much we are loved. If you don’t currently have a consistent devotional time with the Lord, I encourage you to start.
If fitting in 10 to 15 extra minutes into your day seems impossible right now, I encourage you to find pockets in the day you can fill with Jesus and put His Word in your ears.
Give the Lord what you can and don’t feel guilty about what you can’t. If finding the time for devotionals is important to you, then I know you will find a way, even if it doesn’t look like you think “quiet time” should look.
I have put together a devotional mini-guide for moms who want help starting a quiet time routine. I want to help you see a vision of what is possible when you carve out a few minutes in your day for Jesus. In His presence is where transformation takes place, when we are transformed into the image of Christ.
God sees you. He loves you. He wants to help you. The Bible says if we will draw near to God He will draw near to us. I encourage you today to make a decision to come after God even if it feels like a feeble attempt. He will honor it.
