November 5, 2017
I get it. You head of to college, live out on your own , you make all the decisions for yourself, and it becomes hard to find time for your faith. In my first semester away at school other things starter to take priority, and it felt like my quiet time got pushed back farther and farther until it became nearly nonexistent. But fear not…… I found a few ways that helped me manage my time and kept me grounded in my faith.
1. Schedule It
Its easy to put things that seem more pressing above quiet time, but when you set aside a specific time each day its easier to say no to the other things, and make sure it gets done. For me, this time was in the mornings when I knew I could spare a few minutes. This gave me the opportunity to start off my day with the Lord, and ensured there was little room for distraction.
2.Get a Journaling Bible
I got a journaling Bible recently, and it honestly has taken my faith to a different level. It keeps me engaged and interested in what I’m reading, and makes Bible reading something I genuinely want to do and not just something I feel like I have to do.
3. Seek Community
Surround yourself with a solid group of individuals that will pour into you, and invest in your life during your time at school. Whether this looks like getting advice, prayer, or just some needed encouragement, community is essential to growing in your faith. Whether its a small group or just a couple friends who will go to church with you every Sunday, these people will make a huge difference. You weren’t made to do life alone… so don’t try to!
4. Be Still
This was something I really struggled with when I first got to school. I had people around me almost all of the time, so I found it was really hard to find a time when I could just sit back and listen to what God was telling me. Hearing the voice of God is crucial to living a life pleasing to Him, so I think this one is pretty important to figure out. I found that every week I would take one day where I separated myself from the chaos and I would spend a few hours just being still. I would go to a coffee shop, read my Bible, and Id spend my drive back praying, worshiping, and listening to what God had to tell me. It may sound silly but squeezing this in every week made a serious impact on my walk this semester and I highly encourage it!!
5.Pray
I know it feels like theres not enough hours in the day, and its hard to make prayer a priority, but it really is essential to keeping a strong faith. Whether you’re sitting in chem class, or laying in bed I think we can all spare a few minutes to talk to the Lord.
6. Seek God
I think not prioritizing faith really stems from issues in the heart. If God isn’t our main priority, and we’re too focused on hanging out with friends, or doing well in history then yeah our faith is likely goi
