I’m sorry, God, but I don’t have time for you today.

I’m sorry, Jesus, but I just can’t fit you in.

God, I know you’ll understand…but I am just so busy I can’t find two minutes to spare.

Me:

God:

Really?

I was recently chatting with a friend about the grief I was feeling after conversations with a couple of friends who shared that they just don’t have time to spend praying or in Bible study. I think it grieves me because (1) we all have the time; it’s rather a matter of how we use our time, and (2) I can relate. I have often prioritized other things over God (see screen time above), and as a result, have seen and felt the lack of fruit in my life during those times when I let busyness override any intentionality in my schedule. But because I have seen the abundant fruit that comes from spending regular intentional time with God and in His Word, regardless of what the calendar and/or sleep schedule dictates, my natural response is to desire that fruit for everyone in my life!  So, how did my dear friend respond to this lament? 

“If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”

Truth bomb of the week.

Have you ever tried to schedule a group meeting or dinner and it feels nearly impossible to coordinate everyone’s schedules? It’s like, you just need ONE 2-3-hour window when everyone is available but it’s IMPOSSIBLE. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how God must feel with us. “Like, I’ve thrown out 1,440 minutes per day and I can’t just get 15 of those?”  And then imagine how He feels when 60 or more of those minutes are spent scrolling through an Instagram feed. I’m not saying Instagram is bad, but I am saying that I can’t sit here and declare that I do not have time to spend in my Bible when I have 240 minutes spent scrolling through my phone.

Sometimes, the group gets really tired of working around that one person’s schedule that seems to be overloaded and completely unavailable. You might have even started a new thread without them to see if you can restart and find a time that works. But God? The most amazing news today (and every day) is that He doesn’t give up on us. He doesn’t shut His calendar off to us no matter how frustrating it is to try to squeeze Himself in with us. Rather, He is patient. He’ll keep His schedule open for the minute that we’re available. He’s not constrained by that soccer game or book club. We don’t even need to jump through hoops to get on His schedule. As a matter of fact, He’d even be happy if, rather than ‘scheduling’ a meeting with Him, we invited Him along to each part of our day. Heading to an appointment? He’ll go with you. Meeting a colleague for lunch? He’ll sit in the car right next to you. Making your morning coffee? He’d love to join you for a sip and hear about what’s coming in your day. And it doesn’t matter if you haven’t talked to him in a week, a month, or even in years. He’ll pick up with you and be thrilled for the invitation.

While I grew up believing and trusting in the Lord as my King and Heavenly Father, it wasn’t until my mid-20s when I understood what it meant to have a relationship with God. And how different my life could be because of that relationship. Understanding this was a game-changer for me. How much easier it was to pursue time with God than it was to pursue checking all the boxes I thought He expected of me! I slowly learned that out of my relationship with Him, boxes were checked simply by my showing up to meet Him. Out of my time with Him was an overflow of fruit. First came the relationship, and then came the fruit. Think about the people you love in your life. The only way to have a meaningful relationship with them is to spend time with them. It’s not to read their Facebook feed. It’s not even to talk about how much you love them or talk about how awesome they are. It is to be in genuine, relational time with them. God wants this so much with us. We have an open invitation through Jesus. We just have to free up some of those 1,440 minutes of our days.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

There are a few things that we can expect to happen when we prioritize time with God in our schedules. I know these things to be true because Scripture tells us so, and I have experienced these in my own life when I spend meaningful time in relationship with Jesus.

1.     You will hear God’s voice and truth for your life (John 16:13).

2.     He will establish your next steps (Psalm 37:23-24).

3.     You will bear fruit (John 15:5). 

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).  It is by faith that we seek Him and know that He is with us. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather put my faith in God than in my iPhone. My faith in His promises for me versus the latest product stalking my Instagram feed. I promise you He will be much better for our souls.

Dear Lord, I am equally grateful and overwhelmed that You, the Maker of the universe, want time with me ­– with us! Please help me to turn my focus to You when I am geared to fill my time with things that are not of You. Help me to prioritize my schedule in a way that honors You, with You as #1. And thank You for your grace when I fall short of that. I want more and more of Your goodness in my life, and I know that means I need to spend more and more time with You. Thank You that You are always available. I’m grateful beyond words that You never leave or forsake me, that You go before me and establish my steps, and that Your wisdom never fails. In the name of Your Son Jesus I pray, Amen.