{"id":812287,"date":"2023-09-12T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?p=812287"},"modified":"2024-05-29T06:29:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T11:29:23","slug":"a-simple-way-for-leaders-to-start-the-day-with-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/a-simple-way-for-leaders-to-start-the-day-with-god\/","title":{"rendered":"A Simple Way for Leaders to Start the Day with God"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let me be honest with you. I\u2019m busy. Too busy, in fact. I go to bed with things to do on my mind, and I wake up with even more things to do on my mind. Somedays it feels like I\u2019m on the proverbial hamster wheel, wearing myself out while getting nowhere.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the midst of my busyness, though, I\u2019ve learned a simple way to turn my attention away from the \u201cstuff\u201d and toward God each morning. My most directed prayer and Bible study time is usually later in the evening, so this method is especially helpful early in the day. It doesn\u2019t take long, but it does make a difference for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, I pray the \u201cModel Prayer\u201d as soon as I awaken.<\/b> I realize that doing so can become robotic and ritualistic, but I also agree with Al Mohler that \u201cThe Lord\u2019s Prayer is a prayer <\/span>for<\/span><\/i> disciples to pray.\u201d<\/span>\u00b9<\/span>\u00a0I first started praying only the verse about temptation so I might personally fight sin each day (\u201cAnd don\u2019t let us [me] yield to temptation, but rescue us [me] from the evil one\u201d Matt 6:13, NLT), but I\u2019ve more recently expanded to praying the whole prayer. My mind simply moves in a healthier direction in the morning when I immediately focus on God, thank Him for His provisions, and seek His will. This step also opens the door to my praying to the Lord throughout the rest of the day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, I read a daily \u201cVerse of the Day\u201d that shows up in my email inbox long before I awaken.<\/b> I signed up for that email because I know my tendency is to dig into my inbox before I do anything else in the morning\u2014and that\u2019s not a good way to start the day. I still check my email, but I look first and foremost for that day\u2019s verse. For example, here is today\u2019s verse as I write this post:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/i>I will be your God throughout your lifetime\u2014until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you\u201d<\/span><\/i> (Isa 46:4).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I don\u2019t know what I will face today, but I\u2019m reminded powerfully that God will be with me. And, because I will leave this verse in my inbox and read it each time I check my email today, I can work on memorizing it throughout the day without really trying. It\u2019s just a good way for me to keep turning my heart back to the Lord.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m still learning every day how to walk with God, but this process at least helps me get started well each day. I pray it might help you, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00b9R. Albert Mohler, <\/span>The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down: The Lord’s Prayer as a Manifesto for Revolution<\/span><\/i> (p. 20). HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Let me be honest with you. I\u2019m busy. Too busy, in fact. I go to bed with things to do on my mind, and I wake up with even more things to do on my mind. Somedays it feels like I\u2019m on the proverbial hamster wheel, wearing myself out while getting nowhere.\u00a0 In the midst…","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":812292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"publish_to_discourse":"0","publish_post_category":"1","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,14796],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-812287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-answers","category-monday-wednesday-featured"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Simple Way for Leaders to Start the Day with God | Church Answers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Let me be honest with you. I\u2019m busy. Too busy, in fact. 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