7 Hacks for Staying Connected to God

Pastor Dan Jongsma

Because we lead such busy lives, the immediate concerns of the day tend to crowd out the more important matters of life – one of them being our relationship with God. Maintaining a vibrant relationship with Him takes work. So how can we find time for staying relationally connected to God amidst all the other activities of life? Let me share seven simple steps toward improving your faith walk.

Make Prayer A Regular Pattern in Your Life

This seems self-explanatory, but when we actually schedule our devotional times, as we would a meeting or event, we are more likely to keep that “appointment” with God. It’s helpful to establish a daily rhythm of spending time in God’s Word and in prayer. Over time, this becomes a soul-shaping habit that we build into our lives.

Find Your Quiet Space

Distractions are everywhere these days. This means that it’s going to take some ingenuity and effort to find a quiet, peaceful place where we can connect with God each day. It involves getting alone, silencing our phone, and closing the door. Alone time with God revives and refreshes us like nothing else. So figure out where your designed quiet space can be and go there regularly.

Associate Prayer with A Daily Activity

Talking with God is not simply a once-a-day activity. It’s something that we can engage in throughout our day. But often we forget to do so. One way to overcome this tendency is to connect it with our regular daily activities. Make it a habit to take a few moments to pray while driving to work, while waiting in line or at the bus stop, or while making dinner. You can briefly review your Bible verse for the day or offer a silent prayer for those around you.

Learn to Turn Thoughts into Prayers

Throughout the day, I find myself running through my to-do list. Instead of worrying about what still needs to get done, I’ve found it helps to turn those anxious thoughts into short prayers: “Lord, Your will be done in this matter.” Or, “Lord, give me strength and wisdom for this.” Or, “Help me to fulfill this assignment with love and devotion.” In this way, my thoughts become opportunities for having much needed conversations with God.

Use Visual Reminders

Whether you are a “techie” and choose to use your phone, or a “non-techie” who prefers written post-it notes, using visual reminders can be a helpful way to shift your mind heavenward. I’ve seen post-it notes, calligraphy, or plaques placed on bathroom mirrors, blackboards, refrigerators, and office desks. Keeping inspirational Scripture passages within sight can be a great way to keep our minds fixed on Christ.

Take Advantage of Bible Apps

As more Bible apps and email devotionals become available, we have an increased opportunity to take advantage of such spiritual resources. They do much of the hard work for us. Simply sample some of the offerings available, find one that works for you, and sign up. In this way, we can receive a daily booster shot for our walk with God.

Team Up with Others

One of the easiest ways to keep yourself spiritually motivated is to have an accountability partner. Find someone that you can check in with once a week to see how things are going. Or maybe you could text each other your thoughts on a devotional you’re reading together, or share a special prayer request for that day. The benefit of doing this with others is hard to beat.

I hope these tips have challenged you to rethink your daily routines and your spiritual walk with God. Be blessed and pray throughout your day!