How to stay focused on God-15 tips with Bible Verses 

What does the Bible say about staying focused on God? The Bible contains all the wisdom to do this, but it’s hard when we’re constantly busy with the daily grind of life. I get it. You want to stay focused, to be able to listen to what God is saying to you, in between the washing, cooking dinner and work, and looking after kids. In between the shopping, the emails and the day job. Life is busy, often too busy. Squeezing in some quality God time (whatever that looks like) can feel impossible. In between all that, God is waiting for our focus and our attention, he wants us to put him first in our lives. In my bid to find more focus for myself and a deeper love of God, here are 15 tips that have helped.

1. Lose the guilt

 

“I’ll be right with you God, just let me find a way to press the pause button on my life and I’ll be right with you, I promise.” Lose the guilt. The last thing you should be doing is feeling guilty about your lack of God time but still…we all do it at some point. 
As women, we are good at giving ourselves a guilt trip. From overeating cake and chocolate to not exercising enough or being patient enough with our kids, the list goes on. We can quickly push this into our relationship with Jesus. Stop that! Jesus is not sitting at a desk ready to tell you off because you didn’t read your Bible last night.

Jesus sees the rhythm of your life

Jesus sees the rhythm of your life, he sees the hectic rush, he is not oblivious to it. So, take a deep breath and work with the time you do have. Ten minutes reading your Bible is better than zero minutes a day. God sees your heart.

2. Create a Prayer Life

Create the habit of a Prayerful Life.

After reading this bible verse I was challenged. I mean does it really say pray without ceasing? Like ALL the time? And if that’s the case how can I do this? Is it even possible? I’ve found you can get close if you allow God into the ordinary activities of your life. I have plenty of those.

Transforming the ordinary

These seemingly boring daily activities can be transformed into minutes of precious prayer time and focus on God. If I’m hoovering, I’m not just hoovering, I’m praying to God. The simple task of hanging the washing out – is transformed. As I hang my son’s jeans out to dry I pray a quick prayer for him (which will include ‘Why am I still doing his washing when he is 25?’). Unloading the dishwasher- another moment to pray, carefully putting away cutlery and dishes allows me to pray for my family and friends or to have a catch-up (or a little moan) to God. Use the everyday and ordinary moments and routines to turn your focus to God.

We can see and hear his voice in the messy and boring bits that we don’t think God can see, or hear. Yep, God really cares about my blocked drains and my car insurance negotiation to get a better quote. Thank you, Lord, for the lower quote!

Talk to God in prayer

So, rather than a constant mindset of ‘I must make more time for God’ invite God in on your life, don’t marginalise him to the edges’. Talk to him in prayer. This doesn’t mean you need to climb to the top of an idyllic mountain every day to do it. Use the routine moments of your life to bring Jesus in on your journey and focus on him. Bring Jesus into the ordinary. Let him in on the mundane and inconsequential and see your focus grow.

God is everywhere

Remember that Jesus is in the present moment, he is everywhere. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us “I am a God who is everywhere, and not in one place only. No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth? “

3. A focused mind- Focus like a monk

We can learn a few things about focus from the monks. I went through a phase of watching a load of documentaries on monks and nuns. If anyone knows how to achieve a greater focus on God they do right?

Focus on one thing

So I might not be entering a monastery anytime soon but they have some great insights on focus. In ‘The focus of a Monk’ by Leo Babauta he talks about the benefits of focusing on one thing. If you are reading, read. If you are writing, write. Close off everything else whilst you are doing your one thing. Choose your time for the one thing and focus in on it. Practice this and it will also help you to focus on God. It will discipline your mind so when you do set aside time to read your Bible or pray you won’t feel so distracted- you know that will be your time – your one thing. “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”

4. Solitude-Find the quiet places

There are times Jesus did this regularly and we should too. Jesus found moments of solitude for a reason-to focus. Find time even if it’s five or ten minutes in your day for quiet and solitude. Use that time to meditate, pray, and focus. I love walking and this is where I can often lose myself and focus on God. Seek the times and places in your day and week where you can be in a quiet place with God. 

Be intentional

First thing in the morning or last thing at night- explore where and how you can be intentional. Can you spend the first minutes of your day reading God’s word? Think about when those moments can take place and include them so they become part of your routine. In the words of the famous Helen Lemmel hymn ‘Turn your eyes toward Jesus’. Having a healthy spiritual life doesn’t come by accident. It comes through intentional acts that turn into habits. Yes, it’s hard work to push aside the distractions of life but God sees our intentions and God’s promise to us is that he will draw closer to us when we do. ‘Draw near to God and he will draw near to you’ (James 4:8)

5. Seek God first

If we are truly focused on Jesus we need to seek him first. What does this look like? It means trusting his guidance and seeking and seeing the holy spirit working in our lives. The inner voice that tells you to say ‘no’ sometimes. The inner voice of the Holy Spirit that prompts you to call a friend, apply for that job, or pray for a person you pass in the street.

6. Seek the wisdom of God

Seek the wisdom of God- Understand kingdom principles for your life. This will help you remain focused and prevent you from making bad decisions. If it doesn’t align with what Jesus says, say no. God still loves you when you make a bad decision but life is so much easier when we don’t make them or have to live with the consequences of them. God’s wisdom and ways always protect. 

7. Seek God’s word

The simple truth is that if we don’t spend time in God’s word we won’t be able to focus on him in our life. The Bible says that the word is ‘alive’. The Bible is so much more than a book. It is a Holy, spirit-filled source that provides us with advice, encouragement, comfort, hope, and a window into how God loves us, and how we can love and forgive. Read more on drawing closer with God’s word here.

8. The renewing of your mind

Think about Christ Jesus, allow the word of God to be the tool that brings about a renewal of your mind. Think about the Bible verses you read, think about the things of God, ponder them and take your time. Take time with your thoughts and reflect on how they relate to your life and circumstances. Our thoughts affect our actions and our actions determine our lives. Thinking time on Jesus is focused time with God.

9. Bible Study- Keep Learning

We are blessed to live in an age of technology and information. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different Bible apps, devotionals and Bibles to help you keep learning. Try buying new stationery, a new Bible, study in a different place, sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference. Listen to different pastors and sermons (YouTube is great), and enrich your learning life with variety. This will help you stay focused help your spiritual growth and keep God close to your heart.

10. Spend a day with God

PROVERBS 4: 25

Spend a day with God- I saw a reel on Instagram and loved it. A  woman showed how she spent her day with God. She started with a walk in the morning, moved on to having coffee in a coffee shop reading her bible on her phone and journalling, then listened to worship music as she made dinner. You may not be able to spend a whole day but having the intention in your mind to spend some time with God as you would a good friend, and doing practical activities will help you focus on him. How can you use your time today to be with God?

11. Iron sharpens iron

Take a look at your friendship circle. Do you have friends or family that encourage you in your faith?  Having people who can encourage you in your faith journey is so important. It will focus your faith in small and big ways. From praying together to sharing the small wins and ups and downs of life. Having friends or family who see life through the same lens as you helps you stay focused on God, especially when you are struggling.

12. Serve God

How does your life serve God? Reflect on what you do with your social time, and work life and ask yourself if it reflects service. We can all serve in different ways, and God has given you unique gifts and abilities to do this. Using your talents and gifts to help others is service, being a good mum, wife, sister, and friend is service. Serving also brings us closer to God when our hearts and attitudes are in the right place. 

13. Worship Music

The book of Psalms is full of songs of worship from all types of situations. When words fail, music speaks. Playing worship music can change your environment, it can help you pray, and call out to God in thanks or when you need help. Whether you like Gospel, traditional hymns, or modern artists, let worship music help you focus your thoughts on God.

14. Waiting and trusting in the Lord

There is something about waiting on God that brings us closer to him. We learn to rely on God, not on ourselves in the waiting.

15. Troubles can bring us closer

When troubles come God is there. God will use our tough times to help us surrender and rely on him in a way that we don’t when everything is going well. Our mind and thoughts draw near to God as we pray and wait for his answer. Our focus turns to him, and what the answer will be. The problem may still be there as we wait, but our focus remains on Jesus.

When you seek God and focus on him, you start to see God working in your life, and you stop calling it luck or coincidence as a path is made for you. What is God asking of you today? Will you ignore him or obey and accept?

Which of these can help you focus on God today? How do you focus on God? Let me know in the comments below.

Want to read more? Try The Importance of rest in the Bible