Everyday Living in Christ is a series of guest posts where we reflect on people’s spiritual desires and struggles as they seek to live Christ more intentionally in their daily life. This post was contributed by Faith F.
Work, school, social gatherings, volunteering, family responsibilities, sports—the list goes on. We all have commitments to which we give our time and energy, and figuring out how to make time for spiritual things can be difficult.
If you haven’t yet made the plunge to be truly committed, it may help first to consider what you are being invited into.
Jesus came so we might “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). God continuously calls us into communion with himself and desires to share his divine life and love with us. God gives himself without reserve and invites us to do the same and share our lives completely with him.
Now let’s look at two questions people commonly ask about making time for God.
How do I make time for spiritual things with all my commitments?
Let’s say you decide to set aside 20 minutes daily to pray. Start by choosing a consistent time that works for you. You can even split the time into shorter sessions and set phone reminders to help you remember to pray.
Additionally, you can draw your mind and heart to God throughout the day. Thank God for the little things that happen. Recognize him in other people. Pray a Hail Mary when an emergency vehicle passes by. Bringing God into your daily activities by saying “Jesus, help me,” “Spirit, guide me,” “Thank you for…” can help you refocus your life on God in simple ways.
Do you have a favorite way of praying? If not, it might help you to identify a few ways you are drawn to pray. Lectio Divina, Visio Divina, Eucharistic Adoration, devotionals, the Liturgy of the Hours, litanies, the Rosary, and spontaneous prayers are a few ways you can lift your heart to God.
Many parishes offer daily Mass, weekly confession, and faith formation opportunities. How much time you are able to commit to will depend on your state in life, and you should be realistic about your availability. With a busy schedule, you may not have time to be at your parish regularly, but even if you can only attend once or twice a month, it will bear fruit. God can do so much with what you give him.
How do I know that God loves me if I don’t feel anything?
Look at the Cross: Jesus has shown his love through his death on the cross. “Your blood, your wounds, the scourges, the thorns, the cross, your bowed head tell my heart: ‘No one loves more than he who gives his life for the loved one'” (Prayers of the Pauline Family). When you see a crucifix, meditate on how Jesus shed his blood and redeemed you personally. What does his humble gaze from the cross say to you?
Read Scripture: You may have heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter to us. We need reminders that God has “inclined his ear” to us (Psalm 116:2) and “remembers us” (Psalm 115:12). God is eager to be with you (Luke 22:15). He gives himself completely for you (Luke 22:19). He wants you to be where he is (John 14:3). Nothing will separate you from his love (Romans 8:38). You are God’s child (1 John 3:2) and he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). As a shepherd carries lambs close to his heart, so too does God carry you close to his heart (Isaiah 40:11). The more we read Scripture, the more we get to know the heart of God, and the more the truth of his mercy is impressed upon our hearts.
Turn to the saints: The insights of the saints can help you draw closer to God and provide renewed hope about God’s love. Saint Teresa of Calcutta often contemplated Jesus’ boundless love for each person; others, like Blessed Carlo Acutis, wrote about the joy of encountering Jesus in the Eucharist. There is a saint for everyone, and we can all benefit from their wisdom.
Pray for faith: Ask God to strengthen your belief and deepen your trust. As the Catechism says, “Faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him” (CCC 153). A simple prayer you can recite is, “Lord, I believe—help my unbelief.”
In conclusion, take hold of the simplicity of the spiritual commitment. Step by step, practice by practice, respond to God who calls you into communion with himself. Through these sacred moments the Lord shares his divine life with you, giving himself to you without reserve, and you can return that love by sharing your life completely with him.
