In my Bible, I have a note tucked in there from one of my church friends that is currently in college. On the envelope it says, "Don't stop blogging!!! I'll need something to read every week in college." So thanks, Jonathan. Although I haven't posted a new blog every week, you're part of the inspiration for this one.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a big procrastinator. School started for me a few months ago, and I have already started procrastinating with so many assignments. I've even procrastinated writing this blog post. I've made up constant excuses, but the truth is, none of those are valid. While procrastination may cause some of us to do our best work under pressure, that is usually not the case. Procrastination with anything often puts unnecessary stress us. Not only is it common for us to put off things in school and work, but also with our relationship with God.
In Isaiah 55, verse 6 says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on him while He is near."
In other words, this verse says, "Seek the Lord NOW!"
The concept of seeking God while He is near can be so hard for us to understand; we never think that eventually, it may be too late to do everything we've planned to do.
There's another verse that's very similar to Isaiah 55:6. Joel 2:12 says, "That is why the Lord says, 'Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.'"
In this time of busyness, seek the Lord with all your heart. He is what matters. Here are some tips to help you seek the Lord now, while He is near:
1. Start your morning off with Him.
Wake up ready to read your Bible, ready to pray, and ready to worship. This may include having to wake up a little bit earlier than usual, but if you have trouble getting up, go to bed a few minutes earlier. Not only will you wake up more refreshed, but you'll also wake up ready to seek the Lord. Try spending the first 5 minutes of your morning in prayer, the next 5 in the Word, and the next 5 in worship. It will definitely be worth it!
2. Worship in your car.
Maybe you don't want to be the person singing his or her heart out at a red light, but listening to Christian music in your car can be a way to seek the Lord now, even when you're driving. Listening to encouraging music puts you in a better mood, ready to further the Kingdom of God wherever you are headed. Another variation of this is to listen to podcasts in your car. The good thing about this tip is that it doesn't take any time away from you; since you're already in your car, make use of that time!
3. Disconnect for a While.
I get it; It's hard to seek God first when there's so many distractions calling for your attention every time you look at your phone. To counteract those distractions, try turning your phone off for the time that you read your Bible or pray. This will allow you to give God your full attention; through this practice, God will see that you're trying your best to seek Him first, and He will instill a heart in you that burns for Him. He always meets us where we are.
4. Journal.
I'm a lover of journals and notebooks. Although most of mine sit on my shelf empty, yearning to be written in, I use some of my journals to track what I've been reading in my Bible. By writing down your favorite verses, not only are you more likely to memorize these verses for when you need them, but you're also likely to want to read your Bible more. At least, that's what happens to me. Some of the language I come across in pages of Psalms soaks into my soul and speaks to me directly until I desire to discover more beautiful language about My Father and His ways.
In the midst of busyness, seeking God first can become more of a hassle than a priority. But that's when the problem occurs. It's important for us to sit down and evaluate our priorities. The only thing that matters in the end will be God. Let's aim to seek Him first in all that we do and see where His wonderful majesty takes us. By preventing procrastination, we can show God that we are all His.
~em
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