“God comes first… God comes first.” Sometimes I really feel like I’m in a war zone and fighting the enemy: myself. If you are in my shoes, you may find yourself tempted to skip what God wants you to do in favor of diving into activities that pique your interest, like gardening or playing badminton. As someone with so many interests, it hasn’t always been easy to stay focused and dedicated to what God has called me to do. It wasn’t without its challenges.
Our current world is not suitable for following God’s will, is it? Our days are often filled with work schedules, personal responsibilities, and hobbies we want to pursue. That’s one of the reasons why we sometimes feel completely depleted of spending quality time with God or even doing God-centered work. Compared to previous generations, we have far more distractions from God and the work we need to do for Him.
With our new technology, social media, etc., it’s very easy to get pulled in all directions. Have you ever been glued to your phone for more than an hour at some point? The struggle to overcome distractions is all too real for most people.
Obedience requires making time for God
We should know by now that it is wrong to ignore God or not make time for Him. We are living in the last days and time is precious. And the enemy seems to find ways to tie us down to things that aren’t worth our time.
But you can fight back.
Aren’t we being told to take back time?
“Time is redeemed because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16 NKJV
Considering the way our current world works is designed to entertain us, distract us, and fill every spare moment with something to do, this Biblical instruction could not be more timely. God knows the future. God must have predicted how distracted people would be in the last days. Therefore, God commands us to “redeem our time” so that we can use it wisely and do good work.
I would like to share some things that fellow Christians have taught me to help minimize distractions and focus on what really matters. I have to admit that I still fail from time to time, but one thing we shouldn’t do is give up. Every time we stumble, we must strive to start again.
How to minimize distractions to spend more time with God
use time consciously
Aren’t we all guilty of this at one time or another? Spend your day without a planned schedule of things to do. I realized how much I had been neglecting my work for the Lord and decided to put a doable time frame on all the activities that needed to be completed each day.
“Commit your acts to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3 NKJV
Plan your day according to your mood and energy level
These may not apply to busy mothers and caregivers. Some things you have to do whether you want to or not. However, where you can control it, soften the edges. Make it easier on yourself by trying to change tasks to ones that don’t make you struggle to get some air.
To make things easier, I usually tackle more complex tasks when my energy is high and save lighter tasks for when my brain isn’t working at full power or is starting to wander. For example, as a writer, I prefer to write at dawn because my mind is clearer and less confused early in the morning.
Choose a career that makes you come alive
Doing work that you truly enjoy will not only make you more efficient with your time, but it will also make you happier. You may have noticed that doing something you enjoy naturally puts you in a better work mindset and helps you get things done faster.
“You too should rejoice in the Lord.
And God will grant you the desires of your heart. ” Psalm 37:4 NKJV
Work can be a means of practicing faith
Reflecting our Christian faith, we can use our proven skills to do good work for others. And if you’re constantly faced with splitting your time and energy between your career and God, why not build your career around serving the Lord? For example, if you’re a writer, write about themes that align with Christianity. If video editing is your job, work as a video editor in a church community or organization. If you’re a food caterer or gift basket curator, why not serve Christians and non-believers alike by adding or distributing free cards with uplifting Bible verses?
That way we don’t have to divide our time between work and God. We can focus all our time and energy on serving God. That being said, you don’t necessarily need a Christian-related job to honor the Lord. Because as long as you treat others well, your co-workers will see God’s love through your actions and attitudes.
“And do everything in word and in deed in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Col. 3:17-25 NKJV
ask for divine help
As humans, we are easily distracted. The problem is that today’s distractions can be strong and persistent. For consistent prayer to be effective, we may need to include combating distractions in our prayers. In these last days, distraction is the enemy’s greatest tactic. This is why following God feels more complicated than ever. The enemy knows that when we take time to sit with God and be in His presence, obedience stops feeling like a struggle.
Set aside time for deep rest
Saturday is my day off. It’s my time with God. You can choose a day that is convenient for you. I chose Saturday because I was inspired to observe the Sabbath when I was in Israel many years ago. Locals will stop what they normally do on busy weekdays. Not all of them though. However, the amount of activity is definitely decreasing. It’s quieter and more relaxing. During my time in this country, I did not observe the Sabbath like Orthodox Jews. I still go to the Russian-owned store in Ashdod to buy food. We need to be as inactive as possible and focus on resting and spending time with God.
It doesn’t have to be all day if you don’t have the option. Just spending some time and fully immersing yourself in God’s offer of rest can really make a difference. And have you ever noticed that when you make space for God, even in the small quiet moments of your day, following Him seems to come more naturally?
“Therefore there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Whoever enters into the rest of God rests from his works, just as God rested from his works.” Hebrews 4:9-11 NIV
We somehow forget that time with God is just as important. Remember, the more time we spend with God, the more productive we will be in carrying out the task to which we are called.
Didn’t Jesus often go to secluded places to spend time with his Father? And when Martha was too busy with household chores, didn’t Jesus remind her of what was really important?
Thinking about that, I couldn’t help but remember one of the things I regret most about Billy Graham’s last interview before he passed away. “If I had to do it all over again, I would spend more time meditating and praying and just telling the Lord how much I love Him.” – Billy Graham.
As Christians, especially anointed preachers like Billy Graham, bringing more souls to God is a top priority. There is nothing wrong with doing so, as it is equivalent to fulfilling a great mission. But sometimes, in our desire to do more for the Lord and take on things that are beyond our control, we end up sacrificing or sacrificing precious time that could have been spent in His presence.
Therefore, desire God so deeply that even silence speaks His name. Indeed, the best gift we can give to those we love is our time and our attention. Therefore, if we truly love the Lord, shouldn’t we make time for Him?
“Like a deer panting for flowing water,
Therefore, my soul waits for you, my God. ” Psalm 42 NIV
Photo credit: Unsplash/Bethany Laird
Liz Pineda holds a degree in English Education from Assumption University in the Philippines. She is an English teacher by trade, but currently works as a freelance writer for online publications and e-commerce websites. Although she enjoys writing for a variety of niches, she still finds creating content for the Christian community the most fulfilling.
