7 Steps to Keep God First
I long for my time with God, in His presence, and in His Word.
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1-2
When I first became a Christian, I was able to spend time with God and in His Word daily. I was able to maintain this for almost a decade. I’d hear of others struggling to make this a habit, and I remember at the time knowing that what I had was a special blessing from God. It was not something I did for God. It was something God was doing for me. But somehow over the years, as important as both prayer and reading the Bible are to me, I did them less frequently. I had a good run this past fall and winter, but here I am struggling again.
Is it busyness? Is it the distractions of life? I think those contribute to the problem, but I’ve come to believe that I use those as excuses. The real problem for me is that I put me first instead of God. I am self-centered. I choose me over and over again instead of choosing God. And dare I say this? I want to be my own god. Perhaps my busyness is a choice to put my wants and desires ahead of what I know God wants for me.
There may even be a different problem. I remember a time when I didn’t want to face some painful struggles. I’d come home and put the T.V. and the radio on. I wanted to block out my thinking. Busyness can do that, too. Do so many things that you can’t address those things that God wants you to.
But I really do, sincerely want God to be first and above all in my life. I want to address what God wants me to. I want to be God-centered and live a God-centered life. I want to always choose God over myself. And I know that there is but one God, Lord, Creator, and King of the universe. He is God, and I am not. Not only that, I want to know, love, and serve God more and more each day, and I want my life to bring Him glory. I can’t do that without spending time with Him.
I think of what Paul said in Romans 7: 18-19.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
So, what shall I do? I like a plan. These are the steps I will take to pray and read the Bible daily with effort to keep God first in my life.
1. Recognize when I’m not placing God first. As soon as I question my actions and realize that I am choosing my wants and desires over God’s for my life, I will call it what it is. I used to read the newspaper before work and then not have time to spend with God. Now I find myself searching eBay for planters for the patio we haven’t even built yet and then having time. Reading the newspaper and searching eBay are not bad things in and of themselves, but when I choose them before I’ve spent time with God and on days when I have limited time, I’m choosing them over God.
You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3
2. When I recognize that I’m putting myself before God, I will stop what it is that I’m doing, just plain and simple stop. For example, if I’m in the middle of an eBay search, I will stop and not complete it.
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3:19
3. I will confess my sin to God. Not putting God first is sin.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1 :9
4. I will regularly pray for a heart that seeks after God and places Him first. I will pray for a heart that desires Him only. I will pray that God help me spend daily time with Him and in His word.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalm 73:25
5. I will decide on a regular time and place for prayer and Bible study and prepare it ahead of time. This may be different during different time of years or even days of the week.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8
6. I will come up with and follow a plan for reading the Bible. My current plan has me reading one chapter from a historical book of the Old Testament, a Psalm, and a chapter from the New Testament. God uses His word to speak to, comfort, teach, and change me.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11
7. I will act on my plan. Here’s the thing. I love my time with God. I really do. I delight in His presence. I miss my time not spent with Him. I honestly don’t understand this struggle. I will make all effort to spend time praying and reading God’s word each day, and I know God will bless me when I do.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Our God is loving and good. As I continue to love Him with all of my heart, soul, strength, and mind, He will honor me, help me with my plan so as to adjust it as needed to spend more time with Him and in his word.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in Him.”
-Lamentations 3:21-21