Busy Young Mom, 6 Practical Tips For Making Time For God

Busy mom, between the diapers and the toddler snacks or the field trips and the homework, making time for God can seem nearly impossible.

As a young mom, I  desperately wanted to know God better. But I was raising three daughters while my husband worked overseas, so sometimes making time for God felt impossible. I constantly swayed between a vow to get up early and read my Bible before my daughters stirred, to an overall feeling of shame for never carrying through with my promise.

But I persevered.

And when it comes to making time for God,  here’s what worked for me:

THERE ARE NO RULES FOR MAKING TIME FOR GOD

Other believers may offer well-intended suggestions for how to pray, read your Bible, go to church, and serve, but keep in mind they’re only ideas. There are no rules about when or where or how much. Don’t allow other people to burden you with commands that aren’t in the Bible. That’s religion. You’re seeking a relationship.

LISTEN TO PRAISE MUSIC ALONG WITH YOUR CHILD

As an exhausted, busy mom, my parched soul drank in the tunes and lyrics of the “Psalty” songs my children listened to. Over and over, I’d  sing along with my daughters, while in my heart I was praising the Lord. There’s a lot of good music at your fingertips today in a variety of genres. But make time for God by choosing  music that’ll lift your heart to the heavens no matter how overwhelmed you may feel. Turn on praise and worship music while you rock a baby or drive kids to school. Your own heart will benefit, and so will the hearts of your children.

GET OUTSIDE

There’s nothing like the skies to lift your spirits  and remind you of God’s majesty and power. Get the stroller out and take a walk. Stretch a blanket on the front yard and have a picnic lunch. Take your kids to the park. Not so much for your child, but to refresh your own soul. Whether it’s a park, the backyard, or just standing next to a window, the outdoors can shift your focus. Making time for God is easier when you stop to remember that He created the universe and everything in it, and He’s got the whole world (including you) in His hands.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. NO, REALLY—

There’s no better way to learn to pray than to squeeze a prayer into every spare moment of sanity. Since I didn’t always have the luxury of huge chunks of time, I prayed when I rocked my baby, as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning, and while waiting in carpool lines. Making time for God comes naturally as we carry on interrupted conversations with Him just as we do with a good friend.

GET RID OF EVERYTHING THAT COMPETES WITH TIME FOR BIBLE READING

Before the days of social media, time-soakers were a good book, a cheap magazine, and the daily newspaper. Still, as a busy mom with few unclaimed moments in my life, I knew I had to be intentional about making time for God. So, magazines and books became a rare luxury. Instead, I read my Bible. I copied verses onto notecards and taped them onto my mirror,  and some days those verses were the only Bible-reading I managed. I even kept a Bible in the bathroom for the moments (or mere seconds!) that were mine. And I’ve been known to take my Bible to the hair salon with me so I could read as I sat under a dryer. As much as I could, I made intentional decisions to place Bible study above every other thing that clamored for my time.

Today’s temptations are even more intense. With social media, texting, and shopping  at our fingertips, it’s hard to put our phones down. But the need to make wise choices hasn’t changed. In the end, how we invest our time will determine what kind of biblical foundation we build for our familes. There’s simply no substitute for the Bible.

But the good news is, you can have the Bible at your fingertips! We can download an app and commit to read the words that will bring us wisdom , direction, and a deep love for God.

SEEK OUT OTHER BUSY MOMS WHO ARE SEEKING THE LORD

Look for and spend time with  moms in the same boat who are willing to see the challenges of this life through the mind of Christ. But also look for older moms who’ve already walked the road you’re on and whose lives are a testimony to God’s faithfulness.

Realize that God is interested in every detail of motherhood.

Don’t for a moment think the Lord doesn’t care about fevers, teacher conferences,  a child’s constipation, or homework! After all, He’s in the parenting business, too, and sometimes He deals with the biggest babies of all…us!

We don’t  need to separate our mothering from seeking oneness with Christ. He’s in this mothering with us…”Christ IN you, the hope of glory”.  In fact, His presence in us is our only hope of pulling this mothering business off with the kind of success that makes an eternal difference.

So, relax, busy mom…you’ve got the greatest Parent of all by your side.