We all live fast-paced lives and sometimes barely have time to pray or even have purposeful thoughts toward our Creator. With so many demands on our day-to-day lives from our families, our loved ones, our jobs, and other occupations, becoming intentional is crucial in order to nurture our relationship with God. As one of the most popular verses in the bible says Matthew 6:33 We should “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you“.
How can we practise this verse and be more intentional with seeking God when life is busy?
Read on for my 4 tips for walking with God below:
1. Create a daily spiritual routine
Having a spiritual routine is what intentionality is all about. Purposely waking up earlier to pray and spend time in the word or in worship will develop greater intimacy with God. Especially when the house is still quiet and everyone’s still asleep. Try watching the sunrise with God in mind in the morning and be quiet for 5 minutes before the busyness of the day unfolds. In the afternoon, I would advise you to find a quiet spot to pray or to intentionally make a list of what you could thank Him for while being on your lunch break. Invite Him into your discussions with your colleagues. Always look for an opportunity to mention His name or what He has done for you. Listen to worship music on your way home and praise Him in the shower after a long day at work. Watch a sermon before bed and say a night prayer before sleep. Always find an opportunity to give Him praise, to sing to Him, to remember the good He did for you and to thank Him. Keeping this routine and practising these godly habits can strengthen the relationship you have with God.
2. Go on a nature walk with God
Nature is a gift from God to His children. After God made everything He put us in charge of the creation. Why not take a walk in what has been given to us? Even though we live in a fallen world, nature is still a jewel that we should cherish whenever we can. I personally connect with God better in nature than in man-made buildings. Taking in the beauty of nature puts me at awe about the ways of God. Recognizing God’s hand in nature’s beauty and complexities is so good for your soul and provides a break from daily repetitive routines.
3. Reciting verses
Learning verses is not easy but because we pray to a God of the impossible, it is then possible. Nothing speaks more of intentionality than learning and reciting a verse to bring the word to life. One of my favourite things during my walks with God is to recite verses about the creation to the Creator. The same principle as when you read the bible applies, as the word becomes alive, the Holy Spirit makes the word He created alive. This is what happens when you speak the word to the creation: birds’ songs become more vibrant, the majesty of the sky and clouds become a beautiful canvas before your eyes, and the sea and mountains take your breath away. This practice invites God and surely makes Him smile as you recite His word of life. Try it, you won’t regret it, and watch the world through God’s own eyes.
4. Spice up your devotional time
Studying the bible can be challenging whether you are a reader or not. However, be creative, light up a candle if it is in the evening, make a beautiful breakfast, and open your curtains while facing the first light of the day if you study in the morning. Sit down, and wait for God’s presence to reveal your daily bread. Research your scripture and get the context of it. For example, if it is a psalm from King David, search why and in which circumstance he wrote this psalm. Then if the circumstance has been adapted into a mini-series or a cartoon, watch it especially if you are a visual person like me. There are brilliant mini-series, videos, movies, and documentaries on YouTube to take you through the contexts, geography and the Greek root of certain words. My personal favourite is to ask the Holy Spirit to present me with a situation during the day to validate my understanding of what I read in the morning. You can also check out artistic interpretations of scriptures on Google ( but don’t choose google over the word of God) or even draw or paint your interpretation. Be creative!
Lastly, God is the only person you can really be nosy and curious about. So go full on and be creative with your 24hrs. Decide to be intentional and serious about your relationship with God. Let the Holy Spirit’s creativity flow through you and purposefully set in place these moments of connection, you can thank me later for the tips, as I’m sure as it worked for me, will make a great difference to your walk with God too.
Words by Gassy Traore
