When life isn’t going as you hoped or planned and you are hurting, where do you turn? I usually head straight to God. When things are so overwhelming I can’t handle it, I call on His Name. I find it so comforting that I can go straight to Jesus with my pain, my fear, my hurts. I usually have no trouble reaching out to Him then.
It’s the times when things are going okay. I tend to fade out of our relationship. I acknowledge Him but don’t make it a priority to seek Him daily. I may make a conscious effort to do so…but never stick to it. How frustrating that must be for God. Just imagine your child. Only wanting to talk to you when they need something. Sure you are glad to help them out when they need it, but it would be also be nice to be able to have a real relationship with them. Get to know them and maybe for them to really get to know you. Be able to share things, both good and bad.
I am aware and conscious that my “good times” efforts toward a relationship with God are failing tragically. I want to get into the habit of talking with Him and reading His word daily. Even when things are going okay. I know He forgives me when I fall short, but I am sure my life and our relationship would be a better one if I would put in a little effort. What about you? Do you ever stray from God during the good times? Or are you able to communicate with Him all the time, regularly?
If you are like me and need a little structure to guide your relationship, I have come up with a few simple steps to help us get into a regular routine with God.
- When you first wake up, say quietly in your head (or out loud), Thank You, Jesus!
- Before you get dressed for the day, read 5 minutes of scriptures.
- While eating breakfast, read 5 more minutes of scripture.
- Before you go off to work or start your day, Pray for at least 5 minutes.
- When you arrive at your first daily destination, thank God for getting you there safely.
- Pray daily that He will use you to be a blessing to everyone you come in contact with that day, including and especially your family (we tend to have the least amount of grace for those closest to us sometimes).
- Say a prayer before eating each meal.
- At the end of the day, say a prayer of thanks for getting you through the day and for strength to do it all again tomorrow.
I know this may seem like a lot, but it is important for us to have God on our minds all throughout the day. These are just a few suggestions, tweak them as you need to suit your life. The main thing is that we communicate with Him regularly throughout the day.
I pray that each of us will learn to seek Him all the time and not just during times of trouble. He is waiting for a real relationship with you.
