I'VE NEGLECTED GOD

 In my quiet time a couple of months ago, I came across this verse:

“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:16)

The second part of that verse really slapped me in the face as I continued to meditate on it throughout the day and throughout the week.

“I will not neglect your word. I will not neglect your word.”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Ultimately, when we neglect the Word, we neglect God.

MY BIGGEST REGRET

I wish I could say that I haven’t neglected God’s Word for things of this world, but that would be a lie. There have been many times where I chose to spend time on social media, YouTube, and Netflix instead of in God’s Word. And every time I do that, I regret it. While there is nothing wrong with doing those things, it becomes a problem when we choose them over God. You might ask: why would you choose them over God? My answer is because I’m still a human being, in my flesh. Which ultimately means, I still have a choice. And sometimes, I would much rather please my flesh because it seems more appealing. But like I said, I always regret it.

I’LL NEVER REGRET THIS

On the other hand, one thing I never regret is spending time with Jesus. It’s never a waste of time. He is our lifeline! When I leave my “quiet time” with God, I’m always refreshed. When I leave His Word, my dry and weary soul becomes refreshed. Time spent with God is time well spent.

MAKE SPENDING TIME WITH GOD A PRIORITY

Spending one on one time with God isn’t something you just check off of your to-do list, it’s a must. In order for us to function, we must abide in Him. (John 15:1-17)

Here are some practical tips that help me make my time with Jesus happen!

Have a set time: We plan everything else, so why can’t we plan our time with Jesus? This tip is great because when we set a time to spend with God one on one, we look forward to it!

Have everything together: Whatever you need for your quiet time, put it all together. Whether that be a devotional, or book, or a certain journal, put it together with your Bible (because that’s mandatory to have) and you’ll be set to go! When you have everything you need together, you will go into your quiet time prepared.

Have an accountability partner: If you are single, have a friend or family member check in with you daily to ask you about your time with the Lord. If you are married, I’m assuming your spouse is going to be your accountability partner! Well, they should be anyways. Haha! But there is nothing wrong with having a friend check in with you as well. Iron sharpens iron; therefore, we need people in our lives to help put us in check!

Give yourself grace: Seasons change. You won’t be able to get a two hour Bible study session in every day, but that’s okay. We go through different seasons and things change, but our need for the Word always remains the same.

Prayer: I’m praying that everyone reading this will have a renewed and refreshed desire to spend time with the Lord. I pray that God will give you wisdom on how to use your time. I pray that you will not neglect your time with God and that He will place people in your life to help hold you accountable. In Jesus Name, Amen.

This post was originally published on May 8, 2018.