December 6, 2022
Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr.
Proverbs 28:14 (AMP)
Blessed and favored by God is the man who fears [sin and its consequence] at all times, But he who hardens his heart [and is determined to sin] will fall into disaster.
Belief in God is the one thing that unites all Christians. Despite their divergent perspectives and upbringings, they find common ground in the Father. Sadly, many also agree that God doesn't fit into their busy schedules. When you ask many professed Christians how often they pray or read the Bible, their response may not be straightforward. Many usually fall back on the phrase "when I can." Usually, this is accompanied by "I'm simply so busy with work" or a similar excuse. When we become preoccupied with daily activities, we allow the world permission to begin drawing us away from our relationship with Jesus Christ. Neglecting God is risky. You see, anything we do when we need to be spending that time in prayer and reading the Bible is something we prioritize over the Lord. Despite not doing it deliberately, we tend to create idols for ourselves.
You can't call yourself a Christian and avoid devoting time to God. According to research, for something to become a habit, it takes anywhere from 21 to 66 consecutive days of doing it. That’s what you must do with your time to serve Jesus. Spend some time each day in prayer and Bible study. It's a vital initial step, even if you only have 10 or 15 minutes. Continue until making time for God becomes automatic for you.
Make Him the priority in your schedule today. When you mindlessly browse through Facebook, lose yourself in television, or caught up in video gaming, stop trying to occupy your time with external stimuli. Rather than avoiding His presence, make a conscious effort to reach out to the Father instead.