Grace 'n Grounds

The trees are finally green with leaves. Flowers are in bloom. The temperatures are above 60 degrees in most places, and it isn’t getting dark until 8pm.

This is the time of year I always believed I thrived. Since the dark days of winter often leave me moody and low, I was anticipating longer, brighter, enjoyable days come spring.

But this time of year also seems to bring with it a flurry of activity. The time between Easter and summer brings with it spring birthdays. Various holidays. Every school event and school concert needs to be packed in before the end of the year, and it often feels like we are running a race against time, trying to catch up to get to the finish line and finally just rest.

I now have more daylight hours to cram in another school activity. Another late-night dinner. Another celebration. Another task.

You know what I don’t race to add to that list? Time with Him. And let’s be honest with each other-aren’t many of us here?

Our to-do lists are growing. Our springtime tasks and events are overflowing. We are booked, and sometimes overbooked. And the time that goes to the bottom of that growing list? Time with God. God takes a lesser seat to all of the other things vying for our time.

I get it. I do. There just never seems to be enough time.

In the very first Psalm of David, we are challenged to think about the way we spend our time. In the second line of the author’s very first verses, David gives us the prescription for joy and righteousness in our lives: But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalm 1:2

If we begin to reflect on the life of David, we come to see that he battled with his own distractions. Those that could have certainly reduced his time spent in the “law of the Lord.” Chosen as the future king at a young age, he spent his time in the fields, watching over sheep, spent some time as a soldier, and then spent some time as a worship leader for King Saul. If we read more about how he spent his time, we also see that he spent many years literally running for his life from the same king. Yet, he is also known to have spent hours upon hours communing with His Father.

Likely scared. Likely worried. Likely stressed to the max, but focusing on maintaining his relationship with God.

A man after God’s own heart. Not after his own desires. After God. And it began with time.

We do have more distractions today than David, and our top distraction is often sitting next to us on our bedside table. Propped up by our keyboard as we work. Likely in your hand as you read this. It is our phones.

We are running for our lives daily, not because we are in danger, but because many of us feel as if we are running a marathon race with time that never ends.

Even marathon runners need to stop and recharge. Even kings fleeing danger need time for prayer and worship. And so do we.

If I want the time to recharge. To pray. To worship. I have to truly examine my habits. And if I truly held myself accountable? If I had to answer the question of whether my time with God is truly a priority, my screen time is probably a great indicator. Sunday, I spent 3 hours on my phone. I picked it up 37 times. Yet I spent a total of 30 minutes with God (not counting church service).

I do have time. I think it is safe to say-you do, too. Perhaps the next time you want to check your Facebook feed, your Insta stories, or what is brewing on X; you choose to pick up the Word instead. Perhaps, instead of zoning out with TikTok or YouTube, prayer could become your go-to “relaxation” strategy.

Here are some practical ways I am committing to spending more time with Him, and things you can do as well.

Take steps to stop waking up WITH your phone. About a year ago, I purchased an alarm clock. Yes, the old-fashioned kind that plugs in. Instead of using my phone as my alarm, I now place it in another room so it is not the first thing I am tempted to engage with upon waking. It hasn’t changed my morning phone habits totally, but it has helped me actually get out of bed and begin my day, instead of spending 20 minutes at the start of it already racing against time.

Keep a devotional with you at all times. For years, I have kept a short daily devotional book in my car. Before work. In the long pick-up line. The long Starbucks line. While waiting for someone to show up for a meeting. Instead of picking up my phone, I read this devotional. It takes about 5 minutes, but it sets the tone for the interactions I will have with my child, my co-workers, or the Starbucks cashier.

Do you walk? Workout? Listen to the Bible on audio. Listen to a podcast or sermon. You can even complete a Christian workout class on YouTube. Sunshine Pilates or Grow with Jo are two of my picks.

Use your device to hold you accountable. Yes, our phones CAN be tools to help us get focused on Him, if we utilize them this way. Set alarms or reminders for prayer and quiet time for specific times of day. Try apps that limit screen time (I recommend Bible Mode), or use your device to set a screen time limit with a label to remind you to “read the Bible,” or “pray.”

Ask for accountability. Once we name our struggle and our goal to overcome it, we are more successful when we share it with someone else. Ask a trusted friend or mentor to encourage you and remind you to spend quality time with Him. Change happens in community. How can your community help you?

Time if one of those things we consistently feel we need more of, and it is also something we cannot get back. More importantly, our time with Him is never wasted and always fruitful. What steps can you commit to today to spend more time with Him?