Connecting With God When Life is Busy

However, my time with Jesus has changed a lot over the years. The habit I acquired as a young person of leisurely reading my Bible, journaling, and praying, has been challenged by different life seasons. 

Marriage and children have filled in the gaps of spare time I used to have. There were times as a sleep-deprived mom of an infant when the most basic human needs were all I could focus on: food, sleep and occasional showering. Yet as my kids grew, making time for my relationship with Jesus didn’t get any easier. Life seems to become ever more complicated the older one gets. 

Whether it’s busyness from life, or from the array of wonderful options available for spiritual growth, there is so much to do! Many times I felt my sincere desire to grow closer to Jesus being stifled by the guilt of never having enough time to finish all the books I wanted to read, attend all the available Bible studies, and participate in all the local events. Never mind making dinner for my family and catching up with the laundry!

Cultivating a strong spiritual life is no easy task in the midst of so much busyness.

With time I have realized I often focus too much on ‘doing’ rather than ‘being’. Recently I have learned to bring all that ‘doing’ to a screeching halt, and simply be. I will never stop trying to make time for the Bible, helpful books, and prayer. But currently, I’m practicing the habit of pausing as a way to connect with God.

There is something sacred and restorative in simply sitting still with God. Being quiet. Slowing your life down to pause. 

It can be uncomfortable and awkward to sit still with God. Thoughts of all the things to do rush in. But pushing past that, there is an immeasurable joy in just being in the presence of the God who delights in who I am. He doesn’t love us more because we read more Bible chapters or pray longer prayers. He knows us and He simply loves us.

My personal favorite way to pause is with an early rise, before my kids are up in the morning. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: getting up early is hard every single time. But once I’m sitting by my favorite window with a cup of coffee, I love resting there and enjoying the morning sounds and brightening sky. In those quiet moments, I experience God’s comforting presence in a new way.

On days when an early rise is not possible, I look for other pause times throughout the day. It has become a habit for me to notice moments when I could put my phone down and just enjoy what is happening around me. Maybe it’s while the kids are running through the sprinkler, waiting in line, or on a walk. 

There is a cultural urge to be constantly busy. But honestly, the emails can wait, all the notifications will still be there later, and the to-do’s will never end. 

Look up, breathe and notice the goodness of God around you. Retrain yourself to enjoy being, not always doing.

Pausing slows us down enough to notice blessings we usually overlook, which in turn fills our hearts with gratitude. Out of that perspective of gratefulness, we are much better prepared to face the challenges around us and to love our people well. 

Wife Step: Make it your new habit to pause daily, slow down and simply be with Jesus. ​

​Joy was born and raised in Mexico, but fell in love with a Minnesota guy. More than a decade, many geographical locations, and four kids later, they are currently settled in the city of Minneapolis, MN. Together they love helping couples discover the incredible adventure marriage was intended to be. They have led many marriage small groups, ministries and retreats, but their favorite way to connect with other couples is by simply sharing life together. Although homeschooling, parenting and helping run their vacation rental take up most of her days, Joy is always finding ways to sneak in time for writing, reading, design and coffee with friends. You can find her posting on Instagram @joy.ballard or @theriverlodgemn. Photo credit: Woodford Sisters Photography