Creating Time for God

I remember being a collegiate athlete and not understanding the fullness of rest. Rest only came when I felt under the weather or was injured. Meanwhile, spending time with God was mostly a spontaneous act. I would participate in a Bible study once a week and counted that toward my faith hours.

That’s how I lived until I met my spiritual mentor, who showed me how to create time for God. A significant portion of that lesson was that I had to choose to make room for God. My schedule doesn’t come first; God does. That lesson changed everything for me.

Coaches’ and athletes’ schedules are jam-packed. You have routines filled with practice, planning, competitions, travel and lifting sessions. Additionally, you deal with extracurricular team participation activities and dinners, school and studying and personal things. All that to say, coaches and athletes are terribly busy.

Jesus was also remarkably busy. He was on the move, walking miles and miles to the next town. People stopped and interrupted Jesus all the time. He taught in and out of villages and sat with many for meals. He healed people and moved through tumultuous crowds. His days were filled with teaching His apostles and rebuking those who doubted Him.

Despite His wildly busy schedule, Jesus would find a solitary place and pray early in the morning (Mark 1:35). He was notorious for withdrawing from the crowd and His people to spend time with His Father. People would look for Jesus beyond the crowd and find Him in prayer, spending time with God (Luke 4:42).

Jesus prioritized His time with God, ensuring He was rooted in His Father’s love and filled by His strength and power for each day.

“’But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.’” -Matthew 6:33

God also calls to spend time with Him. We must make room and space in our schedule because it will always be worth it. Maybe it’s a few extra minutes before the day begins, or an intentional lunch away from everybody else to seek Him. We may have to exchange one small task in exchange for time with our God. But it is worth it. Jesus says unless we remain in Him, we are unable to live our best life for His Kingdom.

“’I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.’” -John 15:1-4

Amidst the busy schedules, Jesus found time to be with the Father, and so should we. If we can prioritize our athletic training, how much more can we prioritize time with our God? He is the One who gave us our abilities in the first place. The more we place our priorities on Him first, the more He will align our days to fill with His Spirit so we can know Him more and produce fruit for His Kingdom and the benefit of those around us.

Create time for God today. Your soul will be glad.

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Live It Out:

Quarter Verse – “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” -2 Corinthians 3:18

Question – What will it take to prioritize spending time with God? What can you remove to create more room for Him?

Challenge – Memorize Matthew 6:33 and use it to remind yourself of how good it is to stay fixed on God.

*If you read this article and aren’t in relationship with Christ yet but would like to know more, we invite you to go through FCA’s The FOUR, which explains how an everlasting and fulfilling life with God is possible.

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