Ask Dr. Youssef: “When life gets busy, how do I make space for consistent prayer and Bible study?”

QUESTION:

“When life gets busy, how do I make space for consistent prayer and Bible study?”

ANSWER:

In my early days as a pastor, I would run myself ragged for ministry while neglecting to spend time with God in prayer. Then in 1993 I came down with double pneumonia, and God kindly convicted me that I should not minister to others until I had ministered to Him. So I learned the hard way the importance of giving Him the first fruits of my day. If you struggle to make time for prayer and Scripture meditation, here are some tips for drawing near to God:

1. Start your day by praying through the Scriptures. Use passages like Psalm 5:2-3 and Colossians 1:9-12 to guide you. And pray aloud. It is empowering and energizing to pray with your voice, not just your silent thoughts.
2. Use the Lord’s Prayer as a starting point. Jesus’ words remind us to ask God for our basic needs, for forgiveness and the grace to forgive others, and for deliverance from temptation and evil (see Matthew 6:9-13). This is an effective pattern for prayer—a gift directly from our Lord Himself.
3. Make a commitment. Resolve it in your heart that your head won’t hit the pillow until you have met with God. Once you commit to meeting with Him each day, you will soon find that it becomes an unbreakable habit, and you’ll experience a new sense of victory in your Christian walk.