SURPRISE! I’m only giving you 5 out of the 10 because I’m collaborating with Jasmine over at Jasmine Grace in writing this post. Here on Hanha Hobson, you can read 5 ways to choose God first, then read the rest of the list over on her blog. With that being said, let’s jump right in and talk about 10 ways to remove distractions and choose God first!

1. Find the time and space that works best for you and commit to it.

It’s difficult to make God a priority when you haven’t set aside time in your schedule to spend time with Him. Our lives are nothing but busy, but that should never be an excuse to miss an opportunity to seek God. God has a lot to say and He cherishes the time He can spend with you, but you have to be willing to give Him your undivided time and attention.

Take a look at your own relationships. How can you get to know someone if you barely talk to them or spend time with them? I’m pretty sure if a woman/man treated you like this, you wouldn’t consider yourself in a relationship with them. I know I wouldn’t.

Think about it. If spending time with your significant other is important to grow in your relationship, then it is 100 times more important with the God of the universe, your father, your first love, Jesus.

I love this quote by Francis Chan.

“…when we love God, we naturally run to Him – frequently and zealously. Jesus didn’t command that we have a regular time with Him each day. Rather, He tells us to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ He called this the ‘first and greatest commandment’ (Matt. 22:37-38). The results are intimate prayer and study of His Word. Our motivation changes from guilt to love.”

To help with spending more time with God, identify a time and place during your day where you KNOW that you can give God your best and undivided attention. Don’t just give him your leftover time.

For example, if you’re a morning person, spend time with Jesus in the morning before you start your work for the day. Acknowledge Him and remind yourself that you wouldn’t have the life and privilege you have without Him providing it. Allow Him to have your attention when you first wake up!

Or if mornings are too difficult, spend time with Him in the evenings before you go to bed and use that time to reflect on what went on that day. Get into a habit of doing this. When you commit to spending time with God and put Him before anyone else, there is nothing that He won’t give you (Matthew 6:33).

2. Like Nike, Just Do It.

Sometimes, we make so many excuses for ourselves. But you know how the old saying goes, “You make time for what you want to make time for.”

It may be difficult to make God a priority. I get it, I definitely understand. I struggle with this area in my life too, but I realized I had to make a decision. And just like I did, you will have to decide if God is worth your time or your effort. You have to decide if you really want to spend time with Him, and most importantly, you have to decide if you’re willing to do whatever it takes to put Him first.

Even when it’s 11 pm and you’re exhausted from the day you just had, you have to make that decision. Even when you’ve had a crazy long weekend, you’ll still have to decide if you’re willing to wake up and get in your Word.

If we’re honest with ourselves, the amount of time we spend thinking about how we should choose God first, is the time we could be using to actually do it –  to actually obey His commandments and live for Him. Sometimes, it can get so bad that we start going through the motions and start checking it off like God is on our to-do list. Sometimes, we can even be so busy doing His work that we completely forget about Him in the process.

[bctt tweet=”The amount of time we spend thinking about how we should choose God first, is the time we could be using to actually do it.” username=”heyhanha”]

This is a distraction straight from the enemy!

Be sober and vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour – 1 Peter 5:8

Beware when you notice your spiritual life getting dry like this. Fight for your walk of faith! And continue to press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

3. Be creative.

This doesn’t have to be crazy difficult. You can be creative in making God a priority. If you’re looking for a few ideas, try these:

• Listen to the Bible App while you get ready in the morning
• Plug in the sound and listen to scripture (or your favorite christian podcast/sermon) on your way to work
• Spend time with God during your lunch break
• Take 15 minutes every night to pray before you go to bed
• Set alarms throughout the day to remind yourself to pray or speak confessions over yourself
• Go on a date with God

The possibilities are endless with this one.

4. Remove distractions – turn off your phone and put your computer away. Tv too!

With our generation, there are tons of distractions, especially when it comes to our phones and computers. Think about how much time you’ve spent on your devices just this week or even just today. Go ahead, pause from reading the rest of this post, and really think about how much time you’ve spent.

An e-Marketer report found that on average, US adults spend 3 to 4 hours on their phone A DAY! A day, people! That’s easily 86 hours a month! Can you imagine how much your prayer life would change if you used that time with God instead?

The reason it’s so difficult to choose God first is because we have not made this a habit in our lives. Research done at Duke has discovered that habits account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day. I’m not saying make it so much of a routine that you lose the refreshing feeling of an encounter with God, but do make it a habit to choose God first in all that you do, whether that’s spending time with Him or growing in an area that you struggle with.

5. Pray!

If you struggle with making God a priority in your life, pray about it! Ask God to change your heart. Pray that you would fall in love with Him all over again, and that He would prick your heart in a way that you can’t get enough of Him. Pray that He would help you see yourself the way that He sees you.

We are all called to have a heart of worship, and I think the best way to worship is through prayer. Because that’s how God speaks to us, connects with us, and shows us just how much He cares for us.

Related: 3 Reasons Why It’s Easy to Fall in Love with God

Through prayer, we get to witness how sufficient His grace is, and it reminds me of my all-time favorite quote,

“Once a man was asked, ‘What did you gain by regularly praying to God?’ The man replied, ‘Nothing… but let me tell you what I lost: anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.’ Sometimes, the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing, which ultimately is the gain.”

God is a God who answers prayer, and why wouldn’t He help you in this request? If anything, this is exactly what He wants for your life! It wouldn’t make sense for Him to say no to giving you the strength to overcome the distractions that pull you away from Him.

Loved these ideas? You’ll love Jasmine’s too! Check out her post to read 5 other ways you can choose God first! 

And don’t forget to sign up for the Jesus is Bae Challenge below where we will commit to spending time with God daily!