Finding Time For God
by Olga Hermans
Unfruitful quiet times are a sign of immaturity. Wow…that is quite a statement isn’t it? It’s what a minister said once; let’s have a look at it, ok? Does that make feel uncomfortable and immature when you struggle with your own time of devotion, your own time to be with God. People start reading their Bibles and praying because they know it is the right thing to do or they heard that other people do it, but soon they find themselves just going through the motions.
They read their Bible, shut it, and forget what they read. Or they pray about a couple things that are important to them. Then they go on with the rest of their day. They think they’re doing everything they’re supposed to do to be a mature Christian, yet they don’t understand why they feel so weak.
So, we can ask ourselves who has time for a devotional prayer life when there is such need for supplication and intercession. Let me tell you; we all do.
Why? Because it’s the richness and depth of our own devotional time with God that determines how much of the heart of God we have. It’s our daily, personal intimacy with Him that determines how well we live.
Only One Thing
If you remember, Martha complained to Jesus that her sister Mary wasn’t helping her serve. But Jesus told Martha that her sister chose the better thing which was to sit at the Master’s feet and fellowship with Him.
That is a great story! It reminds me that life in God is wonderfully simple. Only one thing is absolutely necessary and that’s fellowshipping with the Master. Everything else we need to do will come from that time with Him.
When you begin to let that truth slip away from you, prayer can become very complicated and burdensome. People get disillusioned because they feel like they have done everything to get strong, but are still not strong. Why keep having quiet times? It doesn’t do any good to have devotional time if you’re not really connecting with God.
It’s time for serious Christians to stand up and say, “You know what? I’m tired of going through the motions and pretending I’m mature just because I’m doing this act. I’m only mature if I take what I read and apply it to my life and begin to do it.”
Let me ask you something. Do you want the strength to keep praying in faith for seemingly impossible situations day after day? Do you want the spiritual energy to keep praying in faith for your family or your nation or your lost neighbor even when all natural hope is gone? Of course, you do.
Making that choice might be hard, but the reward is so great! Making the choice to NOT make time for God might be easy, but the reward is struggle and doubt and condemnation and guilt and all that.
Well, faith works by love. So the more you fall in love with Jesus, the stronger your faith and your prayers will be.
That’s the truth! When you choose to make time and spend time just worshipping Him and surrendering yourself to Him, when in times of devotional prayer you begin to see Him and experience His love, your soul will absolutely burn to do something for Him.
You’ll be on fire with the power and desire to pray out His plan. You’ll pray for your family, for nations, for souls, and for the Church with greater effectiveness than ever before.
Your Love for Jesus Will Keep You on Track; do you believe that? It really does.
There is just something about spending time loving and worshipping God that will keep you on track.
No wonder Jesus, when He was asked what the most important commandment was, answered this way. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37).
Jesus rebuked the church at Ephesus in the second chapter of Revelation. Despite their hard work and the fact that they held fast to sound doctrine, He said:
I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent. Rev. 2:4-5 Ampl.
Did you also read what He said there about them falling from the heights? If you want to go to high places in the spirit, if you want to pray from that high place where you are seated with Jesus in the heavenlies, here’s how to do it:
Choose to spend time cultivating your love for Jesus. Spend time worshipping and ministering to Him. Spend time just getting to know Him through prayer and the Word. I’m telling you, the more you do that, the more you will fall in love with Him and the more you fall in love with Him the better you will pray.
Do you have an advise to the readers? What is your idea or suggestion?
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