You’ve heard the phrase, ‘It’s all about priorities?’ Nothing could be closer to the truth when we are talking about making time for God. Moms are busy. There is not a single mom out there that is not. Making time for God in motherhood is a true testing ground. Many of us want to spend time in the Word of God and in prayer but find it hard to carve out the time. How do we make it all work? Let’s discuss 5 practical tips for making time for God in motherhood.
I’m sorry to burst your bubble Mom, but your time limitations are not going to get better. Finding time to meet with God is not going to get easier. I truly wish I could tell you that someday your time is going to increase, but I cannot. I truly wish that I could tell you that your busy schedule would someday decrease, but I cannot. I truly wish that I could tell you that someday your children will be quiet for you to dig deep into the Word of God, but I can’t.
It’s not about having the time but more about making the time.
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A few days ago, if you caught me during my morning routine, you would have seen complete and utter chaos. There were two little boys running around in diapers, chickens eating sensory beads on my porch, dishes in the sink, food on the floor, and a tired and stressed mama.
Do you know what I did? I went on the porch with my coloring Bible opened it to one of my latest colored verses and read it. My children hopped on my back as they laughed and giggled. It was chilly on the porch, but I closed my Bible and let them all fall into my lap.
I read the verse to them, and we talked about God’s blessings as a new day started.
It does not always work that way, but for that day and circumstance, making time for God was that simple. Sometimes it’s the act of making time, not the results of doing it correctly.
‘God Time’ is not Our Time
Mom time seems like it is in ever-present change. Just when you get a routine down, something goes haywire, and you are forced to change the routine once again. It’s enough for it to seem hopeless to get some ‘God time’ into your life.
Yet I have good news for you today, God time does not have any specific formula!
It’s not about having time; it’s about making time for God. When we start making time for God it does not become ‘our time’ it becomes His time. His time will always look different than our plans and desires. It is in these moments that God can truly deal with our hearts as we grow and mature in him, in his time. You are doing good work mama, so let’s make sure to add God’s time into our routine so we are replenished and ready to move forward with our mothering!
Combating Mom Guilt
Before we go much further we need to read Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
Romans 8:1 ESV
Get rid of the guilt. Jesus destroyed sin on the. Jesus has destroyed your mom’s guilt. When you are tempted to have guilt over your parenting or lack of Bible reading, stop wasting time feeling guilty. Redeem the time you have spent feeling guilty for the Lord.
There are times to repent. There are times to hit our knees and acknowledge that we are still sinners, but please hear me when I say that mom guilt is toxic when we let it settle in consistently.
I’m finding that in motherhood with young children, it’s harder to see Jesus changing me. Sometimes I see myself going backwards instead of forwards as my tempter becomes short and patience wears thin.
There is so much encouragement AND conviction in the book of Romans and we need both. Not to mention that it’s a wealth of deep theology that I’m pretty sure I could spend my life looking at and still only scratch the surface of.
My point?
If you are a Mama and you are finding yourself feeling guilty or asking the question, “Has Jesus changed me over the last week?” Be encouraged because it’s a good question to ask, but don’t forget that for those who are in Christ there is no condemnation. I believe that God knows our season. He knows when you are in the busy season of littles or a heavy season of parenting. He knows your time constraints. Release the guilt, don’t stop pursuing Jesus, but release the guilt.
Is It Your Heart’s Desire To Know God?
For years making time for God meant waking up early and opening my Bible and journal with a cup of coffee. Even now, I long for that time and routine. It was intentional and it was consistent.
Different seasons of life will reveal to us our true heart’s desires. different seasons of life
When our season in life changes, the distractions that take us away from making time for God will change as well. Different seasons mean different distractions. The distractions of my 20s without kids were just as detrimental to my faith as the distractions of my 30s with kids.
It may seem like young motherhood has the most distractions of any other season of your life, but that is just a crutch that gives you an excuse. You need to crave that time with God. As you prioritize Him first, even if it’s just 5 minutes of prayer in the shower, you will begin to crave more abundantly those conversations and times of worship.
Where is your time being invested right now? Is your number one priority spending time with God? It should be. We cannot bear fruit as believers in Jesus without abiding in Him. As John 15 reminds us, we can do nothing apart from God.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
John 15:4-6 ESV
Making God a Priority in Your Life
Making time for God will not always mean the same thing each day. Distractions are different, kids are unpredictable, and God may have different plans for each day. The busyness of life can easily overtake our best intentions! The most important thing when we are thinking about Bible reading, prayer time, or devotional time is quality over quantity. Quality is better than quantity.
Some of the shortest times of Bible reading, devotionals, and prayer have been the most powerful during my motherhood.
Surrender is key. If you are truly surrendered to God and committed to making time for God in your everyday life, you can surrender your time to God and then trust him to masterfully lead you in how your devotional or quiet time should be spent. I would encourage you to find a daily routine of making time for God in your life. Don’t just assume that the time will come. Make a routine and then be flexible as you listen to God’s leading.
One-Year Bible Reading Plan!
Want to dive deeper into your faith this year? Increase your relationship with Jesus? Understand the Bible more? Then the one-year Bible reading plan is for you! We will work our way chronologically through the Bible starting in January and finishing in December.
Don’t worry! You don’t have to start in January, you can start at any point of the year!
6 Practical Ways for Making Time for God in Your Life
It’s time for the rubber to meet the road. Making time for God should not be a part of your daily ‘to-do’ list. It should be the desire and longing of your heart to connect with your heavenly father. But how do we do it? Here are 5 practical ideas and thoughts as you seek to get more God time in your mom’s life. These are simple steps to clear the clutter of life and make more time for God.
1. Pray through your Schedule
If you are not making time for God, it may be time for you to take a good and long look at your schedule. Remember, if you have time to mindlessly scroll through social media, sit on Pinterest, or watch a TV show, you have time for God. Those things will never fulfill you as much as the God who truly loves you.
Evaluate your time and then commit to meeting with your savior daily.
- What is causing distractions?
- Are you too busy?
- What needs to be eliminated?
2. Be Intentional
Whether you are reading scripture in the morning, evening, or somewhere in between, be intentional. Don’t just assume that you will read your Bible whenever there is time, because let’s face it, as busy moms, there won’t be much time left at the end of the day!
This practical tip does not work for everyone; however, it works for a lot of people! Sending time with God first thing in the morning is one way of setting yourself up for success for the rest of the day.
I’ve talked about my early mornings before, but I’ll mention them again. Due to my work schedule and my commitment to homeschooling our boys, I get up at around 3 am. I used to work right away and then save my Bible reading for once I clocked out for the day. It was a disaster! Kids screaming, and my mind was already frantic with our day’s to-do list.
For years I persisted in this routine, and it wasn’t until I was evaluating 2023 did it suddenly hit me that I could just delay my work time clock a little and read before I clocked in for work. It was tough at first because I am a rather stubborn person by nature and I didn’t want to admit my previous routine wasn’t working, but my goodness friends, the impact those Bible reading times have on my day cannot be understated.
Find what works for you, even if it’s 315am in the morning!
It will focus and recharge your mind, heart, and soul on what is most important and then equip you to go forward for the rest of your day. Spending time with God first thing in the morning helps to eliminate the excuses that the rest of a busy day will bring.
3. Place Scripture Cards Around your Home
This tip is exceptionally practical!
I love this tip because it’s one of those ways that we can practically influence our kids with the Word of God. If you have reading-age children they will be able to read the Bible verses as you memorize or read them yourself. This is a great tip when you truly do not have time for your Bible reading. There are days that we just won’t have time to intentionally sit down and enact our routine. I know I keep saying that we have to make it time, but also remember Romans 8:1, don’t let guilt set in when you truly don’t have time. I’ve been there at 3 am when a kid starts throwing up, I have three kids and one on the way, I’m under no false illusions. God knows your season of life, he loves your children, and he loves you.
Having Bible verses intentionally placed around your home is an intentional way that we can pull them out on the unplanned days of motherhood when chaos is abounding. Read them during breakfast, lunch break, or dinner. Maybe even have a pile of them in your car.
Here are a few free scripture card resources to get you started.
- 100 Free Printable Scripture Cards
- Free Printable Scripture Cards – Bible Study Printables
The Daily Grace Co. also has lots of scripture cards that you can purchase for a very reasonable price. We love their Fruits of the Spirit cards.
4. Remember Quality Time over Quantity
If your entire quiet time is just a checklist or an ‘accomplishment’ of a goal (like completing a Bible reading plan), what truly has been accomplished? Skimming your Bible because it’s something you ‘have’ to do is not meeting with God. Jesus cares more about your heart’s motives than a religious action. Quality time in God’s Word is more important than quantity. Finding time for prayer time and Bible time will get tricky during certain seasons of life. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you read your Bible verses and pray. As you mature in your faith, you will know what constitutes the appropriate amount of time for you.
I have often used a Bible app when time runs out but I still have not gotten into the Word of God. There are so many resources out there to help you create more time in the Word of God.
Here are some helpful verses as we think about this concept of quality over quantity:
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:37 ESV
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Jeremiah 17:10 ESV
Don’t forget the power of your children. There are ample amazing kid books that are out there that can speak to your heart just as well as they can speak to your child’s heart. Be intentional about the quality of books that you have around your home and read them often. Here are a few that we are enjoying right now:
5. Follow Jesus’ Example
Jesus traveled to solitary places to meet with his Father on multiple occasions. There are going to be days that are completely unglued! Jesus understands that don’t be discouraged. Even on Jesus’ most unbelievable days, he still made time to perfectly connect with his Father.
But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Luke 5:26 ESV
One of my all-time favorite books about motherhood and faith is “Real Moms, Real Jesus.’ It’s a great book to use during your devotional time. It is a genuine look at how Jesus truly does understand motherhood and the distractions and sinful tendencies that come with that season. I know it’s hard to look outside of ourselves at the moment and see when we need to remove ourselves from the situation, but sometimes putting ourselves in mom time out is a powerful practice. Take a few minutes in your closet, bathroom, panty, wherever, and refocus by calmly reading some scripture or praying.
6. Remove Distractions
My morning routine has gone through a lot of change since motherhood. Children are distractions that won’t go away. A crying baby or a toddler having a temper tantrum is not something easily cast aside. There are other distractions however that can be set aside for the more important task of meeting with God.
If you know your phone is a distraction, then turn it off and place it in another room. If music is a distraction, turn it off. If your dirty house is a distraction, go on a walk.
Think about it, you are meeting with the God of the universe. Don’t take that lightly. Would distractions cause you to walk away from a meeting with your boss or ignore your husband? How much more accountable should we be with the savior of our soul?
It’s about a Relationship
Ultimately making time for God is about forming a relationship with your savior. It’s a time and space that will replenish and recharge your sinful soul. It’s about communion and worshiping the God of the galaxy.
If you truly desire a relationship with God, then you will commit to making time for a meeting with him regardless of your busy life. It starts with a commitment and then a prayerful desire to follow through.
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