The One Thing that Matters Most In My Day

When I began my journey with God, my life was a mess. I'd grown up in an abusive home, and I was angry, insecure and emotionally unstable. I didn't have any idea how to access the peace and joy that God's Word says we can have.

But when I came to the point where I was desperate to experience the life Jesus says He came to give us (See John 10:10), I was willing to do whatever it took for me to have it. Because having His help and presence in my life is vital.

That's why I always start my day with prayer and time in God's Word.

I like to get up early to spend time alone with God. I have a clearer mind in the morning than I do in the evening, and I need God's help to have a good attitude and to treat people right before I get out in the world and do all the things I need to do.

I realize that some people are not "morning people," and that's okay—anytime we spend with God is valuable, so determine when it works best for you. But I do want to encourage you to take at least a few minutes when you first wake up to get started with God on your mind. It can be as simple as saying, "God, I love You, and I appreciate everything You do for me. I really need Your help with my day."

For me, spending time alone with God first thing in the morning is the best way for me to be prepared to face the day. When I first wake up, I prefer to be quiet, make some coffee and then sit in my comfortable chair with my Bible, journal, and other books I may be reading about God's Word.

Sometimes I just tell God how much I love Him and thank Him for all the things He's done for me. I also love to read the Word and journal about what it's speaking to me. I've found that writing scriptures, speaking them out loud, and praying them is an effective way to get God's Word rooted in my heart.

There are other times when I don't say anything and I wait on God. He wants to speak to our hearts, and we can hear His still, small voice when we are quiet and still in His presence.

God holds the answer to every problem in this life. That's why it's important for each of us to make time with God our top priority and seek Him diligently. To seek means we crave, pursue and go after something with all our might. When we realize we simply cannot stay strong in our faith and live right if we don't spend time with God, we will pursue Him more than we do anything or anyone else.

I've experienced radical changes in every area of my life as a result of regularly seeking Him. They didn't happen overnight, but I can promise you that when you spend time with God each day, you'll discover wonderful things that happen in your life as well.

You'll find...

• Your joy will increase. God will give you the oil of joy instead of mourning (see Isaiah 61:3). He will fill you with joy in His presence (see Psalm 16:11). And as you live in Christ, His joy will be in you and your joy may be complete (see John 15:11).
• Your peace will increase. After the resurrection when Jesus appeared to the disciples, He told them multiple times, "Peace be with you!" (see John 20:19, 21, 26). And in John 14:27, Jesus says He gives us peace that calms and comforts our hearts so we don't have to be afraid.
• You will become whole and feel complete, satisfied and content. Jesus is the Living Water and the Bread of Life! (See John 4:13-14; 6:35.) We don't have to wait until we get a better job, a bigger house, get married, have children, or anything else in this world to be fulfilled. We can learn to be content in every situation as we live in Christ (see Philippians 4:11) and enjoy where we are on the way to where we're going.
• You'll change and progressively become the person God made you to be! We can't change ourselves, but as we spend time in God's presence, He changes us little by little, from the inside out (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). That's how we fulfill our God-given potential.

These are just a few ways that your life will be impacted as you make God your first priority and diligently spend time with Him. I know it's not always easy to stay committed to having a daily time with God; there are many distractions in the world around us, and we can feel overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities we have to manage. But the truth is the more stressed-out and overwhelmed we may be, the more we need to take time to be alone with God.

I remember when I was struggling to have consistent time in prayer and Bible study and the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "Joyce, instead of trying to work Me into your schedule, why don't you work your schedule around Me?" This was a revelation for me! As I made adjustments in my schedule to make my time with God the most important part of my day, everything else began to fall into place.

As you make changes to keep God your first priority in your life, I know He'll do the same for you!