21 Days to Building a Faith Filled Family - Audio DevotionalSample

The Importance of Prioritizing Quality Time with your Family

Welcome back friend. It’s Day 11 of our journey together and I hope you’re enjoying it. Today we get to take a look at the importance of prioritizing quality time with your family.

As we begin today, let me pray for us.

God, thank you for the time you’ve given us with our family. Our lives are but a mist to you, but we want to maximize and use every opportunity we get. Help us to prioritize our time correctly and give us wisdom and discernment on how to do that. Thank you for your desire to spend time with us. Amen

I encourage you to completely give the next 15 minutes to Jesus. Make yourself comfortable and remove any distractions. If you’re listening to the audio, you can close your eyes and let the sound of my voice guide you.

In today's fast-paced world, families often find themselves struggling to spend time together because of various commitments and distractions. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life with work, kids’ sports, activities, extended family, and so much more. But, it is important to make intentional efforts to spend quality time with our loved ones as well.

Take a moment to reflect on your current family. Think about the times when you've felt the most connected. What were you doing? How did you feel? Take a moment to pray and ask God to guide you in remembering these times.

[PAUSE FOR REFLECTION]

What times did you think of? I hope they were great memories of fun, maybe when your children were growing up, or perhaps when you were growing up.

No matter what it was, exactly, I bet it included quality time that you spent together as a family. I once saw a quote that said, “Children spell love, T-I-M-E.” If you have children in the home, chances are, they want time with you.

I believe that one of the greatest thieves of time today is our phone. Yeah, probably the one you’re using right now to listen to this audio devotional. But it’s true. Our phones have become so intrusive into our lives that they interrupt and interfere with our quality time with our family.

I heard a pastor say recently that our priorities in life should be God, spouse, children, then everything else. But, because of our phones, we allow a text, email, or other notification to jump up the priority line and interrupt our time with God, our spouse, or our children, thus, getting our priorities out of line.

How many times have you seen a family out at dinner and they’re all focused on their phones? They’re all together. They look like a family. But they aren’t interacting with each other or capitalizing on the time they have together. Let’s be honest, how many times have you been that family?

In the book of Deuteronomy, parents are instructed to teach their children about God's commandments and to talk about them throughout the day. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says,

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

I understand that we all have busy lives. They’re full of good stuff and important things. But if you confess that your family is your top priority, does your time reflect that? It is challenging to do what Dueteronomy says, impressing and teaching God’s ways on your family, if there is no time together.

Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that “the enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.” I believe our spiritual enemy is coming to steal your time, kill your joy, and destroy your relationships.

Take just a moment and ask God to reveal to you how your time, joy, and relationships are being threatened. Are there any behaviors or habits that you’ve allowed, or commitments that are inhibiting you?

[SELAH]

Jesus came that we may have life to the full and I encourage you to live your life to the fullest together, as a family. There is no perfect amount of time to spend together. It isn’t a one size fits all number. It isn’t about the quantity of time, it’s about the quality of time. Let’s make sure that quality time is a top priority for you and your family. You might be the one that has to lead the way.

An idea to make quality moments and quality time a priority is to aim to make a memory with each family member every day. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. It could be something as simple as a good conversation, or a walk around the block. It could be making a meal together or reading a book. Whatever it is for your family, be intentional about memories and quality time.

If your greatest times together made memories that lasted, then do that more. Time is fleeting and the one commodity none of us can get more of.

Let’s pray for that.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the time we do have. It might be limited and it might be scattered, but we have some time. Please bless our families with intentionality in quality time so that we can develop deeper, more meaningful relationships. We pray that you give us wisdom and insight on how to take the first step today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I’ll leave you with Jesus for the rest of the time. I pray he reveals to you how to prioritize quality time with your loved ones and some specific strategies for your family.

I’ll talk to you tomorrow.