How To Be Practical

We all have a lot going on and sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and get in the word and be with God. We have school, sports, extra-curriculars etc… Depending on where you are in life, you may be just trying to get through your first year of high school or you may be trying to decide what college you’re going to be going to next fall. No matter where you are in life it is up to you to set a time and place to just be with God, it may be hard, but here are a few practical things that may get you started on your pursuit for God.

1. Find out if you’re a morning person or night person

Are you a night owl or an early bird? If you can wake up early and you love doing that then try waking up ten minutes earlier to do your quiet time. If you love staying up till the brake of dawn, then find a time in there before going to sleep and do your quiet time then. If you’re not sure who you are and you’re just a restless pigeon, then test them both out. See which one works for you.

2. Set Reminders on Your Phone

We all have phones so why not use them? Put a reminder on your phone about praying or what time you’re going to do your quiet time.  Set little things throughout your day to encourage yourself to get through the day well in order to have a peaceful Bible study. Whatever works for you: do it!

3. Trade Social Media, Netflix or TV for the Lord

Now this doesn’t mean completely give up your Instagram or your favorite Netflix show, just simply give less time those things and more time to the Lord. Social media has become a huge part of our society today. Whether it be Twitter or Instagram everyone’s got one and it takes up so much of our time.  Researchers say that we spend about 6 hours a day on social media. That’s crazy! That is literally a fourth of our day.  It’s also been found that we spend about 5 hours a day watching TV or Netflix. Why spend 5 to 6 hours a day watching some screen when you could be pursuing after the Lord and strengthening your relationship with him? Watch one less episode on Netflix, turn your phone off if it distracts too much or any other distractions- especially relating to technology.

4. Don’t Know Where to Start?

So, you have all you reminders set up and you have the whole early bird or night owl thing down and you put away your phone and Netflix in exchange to be with the Lord, but you have no idea where to start. If this is you, a great way to fix this is to get a devotional book. A devotional book is a great tool to help you along in your walk with the Lord. It gives you passages to read and to study on and they are very easy to follow. Another great thing to help you is a Bible Commentary. The John McArthur Bible commentary is wonderful. A commentary goes verse by verse (depending on the one you get) and helps you understand what the verses as a whole are talking about. And if you don’t like that idea there is no better place to start than the beginning (I mean- it is a book after all).

There are probably a thousand more ways you can practically spend more time with the Lord, but those four to me are the easiest ones to start out with.  The main them in all of them is putting God as the priority in your life. You don’t have anything if you don’t have God.  It’s not going to be easy at first, but once you get into the swing of things you’ll love it and want to do more and more.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for them you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.- Joshua 1:9

 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.- 1 Timothy 3:14-16

 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.-Ephesians 6:11-17