We’re busy. I get it. You have to work because you have to provide for your family, and then when you’re not providing for your family there’s all that interaction with your family because you want to be a good husband or wife, and a good dad or mom. So, your wife or your husband, and your kids, they require big chunks of time. And then there are things you have to do around the house. And then there are meals. And we all need a little down time. And I haven’t even mentioned sleep yet, so, yes, I get it. We’re busy.

For most of my life I’ve felt this way most of the time but now — at least most of the time — I don’t feel that way anymore. What changed is what I’m about to share with you and I wish I had known this and done this when I was a young man. Because by focusing on just a few non-negotiables you can change your life dramatically for the better.

1. Intentionally surround yourself with the most Christlike people you can find. During a conversation with my family, my son Gabe recently made the statement, “You become who you hang with, that’s for sure.” For that reason, I’m convinced this is absolutely the most important thing we can do as Jesus followers. Make an up front investment of your time and energy into finding the most Christlike people you can find, and then do everything you can to connect with those people. Invest in those relationships. In my experience this is absolutely the very best investment of time and energy you can make.
2. Give God the first moments of your day. We talked about this in our last post from the book of Acts. The instant your eyes open in the morning, start reading your Bible. Or make the first thing you do after your feet hit the floor, be to get dressed and go walk and pray. Or make the very first thing you do in the morning after your feet hit the floor, be to pray with your wife. Or make the very first thing you do in the morning after your feet hit the floor, be to pray for your kids. Or make the very first thing you do in the morning, be to pray alone in a quiet part of your house. The point is, the moment your eyes open, start moving toward Christ. Doing this can change the tone of your entire day — as opposed to waking up and looking at a text thread, or your news feed, or social media, or coffee, or breakfast, or . . . (If you’re interested in learning more from our last post from the book of Acts you can check it out here: But I Don’t Have Time to Be a Good Christian: Acts 6:1-6.)
3. Give God the last moments of your day. End your day in the same way you began your day. Let the last thing you see be scripture, and/or, let the last thing you say be a prayer.

You’ll notice I didn’t prescribe any particular length of time for the morning or end of day routines. That’s because of the grind we all live with, the responsibilities we all have. Only you can know where your sweet spot is. So, I would encourage you to experiment around with how much time you spend each morning and evening.

Investing your time and energy into finding and connecting with the most Christlike people you can find is different. This part is like the treasure Jesus spoke of when he said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” It’s like the pearl Jesus spoke of when he said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” What I’m saying here is that the value of these relationships with people who reflect Jesus’ nature is inestimable. And it’s worth investing as much time and energy as it takes to find and develop these relationships. Do you ever feel like you’re not experiencing the kingdom of heaven? The way I understand it, the kingdom of heaven is found in relationships like these. (Matthew 13:44-46)

I wish I had done this when I was young. It’s simple. It’s do-able. It would have taken away a huge amount of stress. And, by implementing these non-negotiables, I can better become someone who loves Jesus more deeply, follows Jesus more closely, and loves the people around me the way God wants me to.

Notes:

Drew Dyck, Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Brain Science (A Guide for Sinners, Quitters, and Procrastinators), Moody Publishers, 2019

Kurt Cameron Bennett best known for his book Love Like Jesus. After attending church and studying the Bible for most of his adult life, he was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven-year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote Love Like Jesus for himself as much as for others. He currently lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, just a few miles from his son Gabe, daughter (-in-law) Charise, and grandson Andrew. He has another son Nate and daughter (-in-law) Anastasia who live in Sammamish, Washington. His blog, God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.

Featured Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay