Time is something that most people feel that they never have enough of. I am one of those people. When I moved cities and schools in the 4th grade I felt like I didn’t have enough time to say goodbye to my friends. In high school, I didn’t feel like I had enough time to study, sleep, have fun, and watch TV (I laugh about this now). Last year when my grandfather was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer I felt like I didn’t have enough time to soak it in and say goodbye, and now as a college student about to graduate and working part time I feel like I never have enough time to eat or breathe.
The one thing that I have noticed over the years that you should always make time for is Jesus.
My faith has played a huge role in shaping and molding the woman that I am today. Our God has blessed me with health, a loving family, friends, and the opportunity to pursue higher education. Not always have I been able to make it to church on Sunday, and at times I have waivered on my daily prayers, but this summer I really tried to make it more of a priority and man has it helped with my mental health.
When you make time for God not only are you visiting with your Father, but you are putting all your worries, your struggles, your anxieties on him. You are clearing your mind and the heaviness that is weighing on your shoulders. In Philippians 4:13 it says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If he is there to help guide and strengthen us then why would we try to do it alone?
When you make time for God you are having faith that He will get you through the hard stuff.
Sometimes I tend to be one of those people that bottle things up inside that I am struggling with until ultimately I just break down and cry. This is something that I have struggled with all of my life, but I have noticed that when I make time for God and confide in Him with my worries and struggles I break down much less often.
Making time for God is not always easy. There is always something else that you will be tempted to do, but if you make it a priority just as you make showering a priority, you will notice the amazing effect that it will have on you and your mental health. For me, the easiest way to make time each and every day is to keep a prayer journal, something my youth pastor Shelton Markham instilled in me forever ago. I try to journal every night and pray about my struggles, my victories, and my worries for others. I have read through prayer journals from high school that I look back on and say, “Wow He really has been there for me.” and I hope that you are able to do this exercise and one day say that as well.
How do you make time for God? Do you have any good tips? Leave them in the comments below I would love to hear them!
xoxo,
lex
