“No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62 MSG).

Do you want to improve your relationship with God? Do you want to connect on a heart level with the One who knows you better than you know yourself? Does the thought of spending time in the presence of your Maker, pouring out your heart to Him, appeal to your weary soul?

In our “hurry-up” world, sitting down to spend time with our Heavenly Father is often not at the top of our priority list. Do you desire to grow spiritually? If not, why? Like any relationship worth having, it takes work on both sides. God is willing. Are you?

I’ve heard many excuses for not making time for God. Can you relate to any of these reasons for not putting God first in your life?

• My husband and children demand too much of my time.
• I’m trying to hold down a job and juggle all of my responsibilities at home.
• I’m president, (vice-president, secretary/treasurer, or reporter) of (insert organization or group here) and I must (insert duties here).
• My church family expects me to volunteer for (insert committees, projects, etc. here).
• I barely have enough time for myself, let alone God.

Let’s examine these excuses, especially the final one. I used to be the “Queen of Busy.” I was involved in so many activities, I never had time for myself, let alone God. I was so stressed at times I wasn’t always a pleasant person to be around. Then I came to realize the necessity of putting God first at the beginning of my day. When I began working on my relationship with Him, I was able to step back, survey my life and reassess my priorities. That is when I learned an important word: “No.”

No, as in, “I’m sorry but I really cannot commit to this project at this time.” No, as in, “I really can’t take on one more task, (office, club, etc.).” No, as in, “I would really like to help you out but I’m overwhelmed with so many other things that I would not be able to give my best to this committee.” You get the picture. No means just that, “No.” You don’t have to be rude. However, you must be intentional in pursuing a relationship with God, even if it means giving up “good” activities.

If you have kids around 24/7, I suggest you get up earlier. Even spending 30 minutes with God at the beginning of your day will better prepare you for the roller coaster of life that we all experience at times. I also recommend you have all of your spiritual tools—Bible, journal, devotional and pen—in one place so it’s easier to begin your day with God. See this special place and moment as His time and your time to grow closer.

Journaling your prayers to Him can help change you from knowing about God into someone who experiences God in a deeper way. One of the most important things to remember about our relationship with God as we journal our prayers is we write to grow, not to stay the same. And that’s what God wants for us—to grow spiritually.