Living Beyond Ministries- Girl Talk Blog

An honest heart check about making room for the One who matters most.

Let’s be honest for a minute.

We make time for the things we believe are important.

We find time to answer the messages. We find time to scroll through social media. We find time to check the notifications, catch up on the latest news, make another cup of coffee, and squeeze just one more thing into an already full day.

And most of us aren’t doing these things because we’re bad people. We’re simply living busy lives. We’re caring for our families, working our jobs, serving in our churches, managing our homes, and trying to keep all the plates spinning.

But somewhere in the middle of all that doing, have we unintentionally given the Lord whatever time is left over?

Here’s the question I want you to sit with today:

If God only received the time you currently give Him, what would your relationship with Him look like?

Not the relationship you wish you had. Not the one you tell yourself you’ll have when life slows down. Not the one you had during that season when your schedule was different.

The relationship you’re cultivating right now.

It’s a question that makes me stop and think, too.

Are We Giving God Our First or Our Leftovers?

Matthew 6:33 says:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33, KJV

Notice that little word: first.

Not when everything else is finished. Not after we’ve checked every notification, answered every message, and exhausted every ounce of energy we have.

First.

Seeking God first doesn’t mean every morning has to look picture-perfect. It doesn’t mean you must wake up at 4:30 a.m., sit in a spotless room with a steaming cup of coffee, and complete an hour-long Bible study before the sun comes up.

Some mornings, your quiet time may happen before the kids wake up. Other mornings, it might happen with a toddler in your lap, breakfast on the stove, and a Bible open beside you.

God is not asking you to create an aesthetic quiet time. He’s inviting you into a real relationship with Him.

But there is a difference between having a busy season that requires flexibility and continually treating time with God as optional.

When we consistently give Him whatever is left, we should not be surprised when our relationship with Him begins to feel distant.

Relationships grow through intentional time, attention, communication, and trust. Our relationship with the Lord is no different.

We cannot expect to grow in our knowledge of His Word if we rarely open it. We cannot expect our prayer life to deepen if we only speak to Him when everything falls apart. And we cannot expect to recognize His voice through Scripture if we never slow down long enough to listen to what He has already said.

We cannot continually neglect a relationship and expect it to flourish.

That truth isn’t meant to condemn us. It’s meant to wake us up.

Maybe You Aren’t Too Busy. Maybe You’re Too Distracted.

Before you get defensive, let me say this: some seasons really are exhausting.

Mamas have little hands reaching for them all day long. Caregivers have people depending on them. Some women are working long hours, walking through grief, caring for sick family members, or simply trying to make it through a difficult season.

The answer isn’t to pile guilt on an already weary heart.

But sometimes, our problem isn’t only the number of things on our schedule. It’s the way our attention gets divided.

We reach for our phones before we reach for our Bibles. We spend twenty minutes scrolling without realizing it, then convince ourselves we don’t have five minutes to pray. We replay conversations, worry about tomorrow, and mentally work through every possible outcome—but struggle to sit quietly before the Lord.

We may not have intended to push Him aside. It may have happened one small decision at a time.

And that’s why we need to examine our hearts honestly.

What gets our attention first thing in the morning?

What occupies our thoughts when we have a quiet moment?

Where do we turn first when we’re overwhelmed?

These questions aren’t about measuring your spirituality against someone else’s. They’re about noticing what has been shaping your heart and deciding whether it deserves that place.

Because whatever consistently receives our attention will influence our affections.

And if we’re honest, some of us don’t need another Bible study, another devotional, or another inspirational quote saved to our phones.

We need to practice what we already know.

We need to make room for the Lord.

Prayer Was Never Meant to Be Our Last Resort.

Philippians 4:6 tells us:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” — Philippians 4:6, KJV

God invites us to bring everything to Him.

Not just the emergencies. Not just the decisions we can’t figure out. Not just the moments when we’re scared and desperate for an answer.

Everything.

Yet how often do we spend hours worrying about something before we spend even a few minutes praying about it?

We rehearse the conversation. We imagine the outcome. We consider every possibility. We ask three friends for advice. We search for answers online. And only after we’ve exhausted ourselves do we finally whisper, “Lord, please help me.”

What if we learned to turn to Him sooner?

What if prayer became the first place we carried our burdens instead of the last place we took them?

Prayer isn’t a way to control God or guarantee that life will unfold according to our plans. It is an opportunity to bring our hearts honestly before Him, trust His character, seek His wisdom, and surrender what we cannot control.

And here’s something beautiful: God isn’t asking you to come to Him with a perfectly organized prayer life. He’s inviting you to come.

Come with your questions. Come with your fears. Come with your gratitude. Come with the things you don’t know how to put into words.

But don’t wait until you’re falling apart to remember that you have a Father who welcomes you into His presence.

Build the relationship before the crisis comes.

Walk with Him in the ordinary moments, too.

Stop Waiting for Life to Slow Down.

Have you ever told yourself, “I’ll get back into the Word when things settle down”?

Maybe when the kids get older. When work isn’t so demanding. When this ministry season is over. When the house is more organized. When you’re less tired.

But what if life doesn’t slow down the way you expect it to?

There will always be another responsibility, another need, another appointment, another reason to postpone what matters.

If we wait for a season with no interruptions, we may wait a very long time.

Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions, let’s learn to seek the Lord in the season we’re actually living.

If you have five minutes, use those five minutes intentionally.

Read a passage of Scripture. Think about what it teaches you about God. Ask Him to help you obey what you’ve read. Pray honestly about what’s on your heart.

If you have more time, wonderful. Give that time to Him, too.

And if your usual routine falls apart, don’t decide the whole day is a loss. Begin again when you can.

The goal isn’t to check a box so you can feel like a good Christian. The goal is to know the Lord more deeply, love Him more fully, and allow His Word to shape the way you live.

Small, faithful choices matter—not because they earn God’s love, but because they help us cultivate a life that responds to Him.

You don’t have to wait until Monday. You don’t have to wait until the first of the month. You don’t have to wait until you feel more spiritual.

You can begin today.

A Simple Heart Check for This Week

Before you rush into another day, take a few minutes to answer these questions honestly. You don’t have to share your answers with anyone else. Let them be a conversation between you and the Lord.

• What is consistently getting my attention before God does? Is it my phone, my worries, my to-do list, or something else?
• When do I tend to pray? Do I talk to the Lord throughout my day, or do I mostly turn to Him when I need something?
• What is one distraction I could intentionally limit this week? Maybe it’s checking social media first thing in the morning or keeping your phone within reach during your time in the Word.
• What realistic rhythm could help me spend time with the Lord consistently in this season? Not someone else’s routine. Yours.
• What do I need to surrender to Him today? A fear, a decision, a burden, a plan, or even the pressure to do everything perfectly.

Then take one practical step.

Put your Bible where you’ll see it. Leave your phone in another room for a few minutes. Listen to Scripture while you get ready. Pray while you fold laundry. Set aside a few intentional minutes before the demands of the day take over.

Let your time with the Lord become part of the rhythm of your life—not another impossible standard you’re constantly failing to meet.

And remember, the point isn’t to earn a place in God’s heart. Through Christ, we are invited into a relationship with Him. We make time for Him because He is worthy, because we need Him, and because we want to know Him more.

So, What Would Your Relationship with God Look Like?

Let’s return to the question we started with.

If God only received the time you currently give Him, what would your relationship look like?

Would you know His Word more deeply? Would prayer be a familiar conversation throughout your day? Would you be more aware of His character when fear and uncertainty show up?

Or would you realize that you’ve been giving Him the parts of your day that are easiest to spare?

Please hear my heart: this is not an invitation to walk away feeling ashamed. It is an invitation to come closer.

God is not surprised by your busy schedule. He knows your responsibilities, your weariness, your struggles, and the season you’re walking through.

But He also knows how much you need Him.

You were never meant to navigate this life on your own strength, trying to hold everything together while hoping you can find a little leftover time for the One who sustains you.

You need His wisdom. You need His truth. You need the correction of His Word, the comfort of His promises, and the steady reminder of who He is when everything around you feels uncertain.

So, sister, let’s stop waiting for a less busy life before we start pursuing a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Let’s stop giving Him only what remains.

Let’s seek Him first—not perfectly, not for applause, and not to prove our worth, but with hearts that genuinely desire to know Him.

Your schedule may not change overnight, but your priorities can begin to change today.

Open your Bible. Whisper that prayer. Turn your attention back to Him.

Make room for the Lord in the life you’re living right now.

Because the goal isn’t simply to fit God into your schedule.

It’s to live every part of your life in relationship with Him.

Let’s Talk About It

I want to ask you something, and I want you to answer honestly:

What is one thing that tends to steal your time or attention away from the Lord?

Is it your phone, your worries, your responsibilities, exhaustion, or something else?

Share in the comments. Let’s encourage one another—not with shame or comparison, but with honesty, grace, and a genuine desire to grow.

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” — James 4:8a, KJV

You don’t have to have it all figured out to take one step closer to Him today.