Making Time for God in the Busyness

Posted by: Patrick Nugent, Overnight Radio Host | Monday, August 31st, 2026 ( 9:05am)

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.—Matthew 6:6

The beginning of this school year feels different. My family is busier than we’ve ever been; four kids playing four different sports, a new driver in the house, more homework, more practice, more time on the go.

As we get busier, finding time with Jesus gets harder and harder. Taking time to read the Bible, pray, and sit with God seems like a luxury. We all have seasons of life that are busier than others, and if we’re honest, we notice a difference in ourselves when we aren’t taking proper time with God.

Maybe you’re short with your kids or your spouse. Maybe it's an extra drink with dinner, or intrusive thoughts that won’t quit. Whatever it is, just like they say in Sunday School, Jesus is the answer.

For me, when there is distance between me and God, I get anxious. I get a sense of incompleteness, a feeling that things need to be done quickly, and I become more of a perfectionist. My wife and kids suffer as I become more and more impatient. Inevitably I begin to see how my actions aren’t lining up with the kind of man God is shaping me to be, and I find myself wondering, What happened? How do I get close with God again?

Jesus knows me, He knows you, and He knows US! When there’s a distance between us and Him, He gives us gentle and simple instructions on how to restore closeness. Pray. Find a place for one on one time with God and just talk to him. When I take the time to do this, there is an undeniable peace that washes over me. My patience is restored, and I remember that nobody is perfect except for Jesus.

So, if this season is as busy for you as it is for me, don’t wait until you’ve snapped one too many times. Pray! Find a place and prioritize the time to talk with God. Maybe it’s in the morning before you wake up the kids. Perhaps it’s in the car on your way to work. Or maybe it’s at night before you go to sleep. It doesn’t matter where it happens, what matters is that you’re talking to Him in the first place. Because every moment we give Him draws us back to the peace we’ve been missing.