You Don’t Need More Time—You Need a New Way to Meet With God
Why most dads fail at devotion—and how you can finally make it work without waking up at 5AM.
I used to think devotion had to happen at 5AM.
Bible open.
Coffee brewed.
House quiet.
But with a toddler, a long commute, and work deadlines stacking up, that version of devotion died quick.
So quick that you would not even notice it, until it’s there.
And with it, so did my confidence.
Because if I couldn’t do devotion the "right" way, maybe I wasn't a strong enough Christian.
Maybe I was just spiritually weak.
Maybe I was not good enough as a father, or as a husband.
But here’s what no one tells busy dads:
Devotion isn’t about your performance.
It’s about your presence.
And the way you meet with God doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Because it is your meeting with Him.
Now, let me tell you this.
You’re not broken.
You’re just using a rhythm that was never designed for your life.
You’re copying a method made for people with silence, space, and zero kids climbing on them.
Most dads don’t need more time.
They need permission to connect with God in a way that fits real life.
A design that will suit their season and schedule.
And when that shift happens?
Everything changes… For Good.
4 Ways to Meet With God That Actually Work For Busy Dads
Aside from time, let’s also be honest that most dads don’t need another Bible plan. Yeah. Those plans you’ll grab in the bible app. Now, don’t get me wrong. Those plans were helpful and efficient. But only if you can use that properly during your devotion time.
What most tired dads need is building the right devotional habit that sticks. They need a pattern that fits inside their crazy schedules. Here are four real-life rhythms that will help you meet with God without guilt, pressure, or rush.
1. Start with a Passage, not a bunch of chapters
Big expectations lead to fast burnout.
Try this instead:
Open your Bible or Bible app, read one whole passage.
Observe and study the passage.
Ask: "God, what are You showing me here?"
Write your realizations.
Pray.
That’s it.
Barna research shows that people who engage with Scripture just 4 times a week experience significantly lower anxiety, higher hope, and stronger relationships.
But as Christian dads, we know better.
It’s not just 4 times a week, it’s every single day.
I know for some, this is hard.
That’s why we are starting to build that habit.
I remember the time when I was doing my devotion out of obligation and checklist on my daily tasks.
At that time, I used to read 3 chapters a day. And I did that for almost 8 months.
During the first month, it was awesomely great. I mean, I was learning and transforming to become Christ-like.
However, a few months after, I can feel the rush.
The schedule is catching up.
My 2-year-old boy suddenly changes his sleeping pattern.
All while the house is messy.
So instead of dealing with my 2-chapter per day plan, I decided to set it aside and finish the chores first.
There are days I'm able to attend my devotion time.
But most of the time, I honestly didn’t.
That’s when I decided that I needed to change something.
Instead of flooding myself with so much reading, I decided to start small.
I started reading one passage a day. One complete passage. Not one verse.
I prefer reading a whole passage to get the complete context of what’s happening.
Then, I take time to study thoroughly.
That way, my realizations are more aligned and helpful in my walk.
Rather than reading out of obligation, I have now more time to study and understand the word of God.
2. Anchor it to a moment that already happens
You don’t need more hours.
You need more awareness.
Instead of waiting for the perfect gap in your schedule, embed Scripture and prayer into what’s already happening:
Play audio Scripture during your morning drive
Pray while washing bottles or packing lunches
Stick a verse where you’ll see it every day (fridge, mirror, phone lock screen)
This isn't multitasking—it’s mindfulness.
It’s remembering He’s with you even in the mundane.
Sometimes our spiritual growth happens more in our everyday tasks and not just in our devotion time.
I’m not saying that devotion time is not important.
Please if you must, and you must, fight for that time.
Start building your devotion habit.
But don’t forget that our worship doesn't end when we’re done praying or reading the word.
Worship must reflect in our everyday activities.
So, don’t get upset if you miss your quiet time.
Don’t feel bad when you miss your devotion time.
You can always talk to God wherever and whenever you are.
3. Make your physical space cue your spiritual one
Instead of focusing on the chaos, try to look for solutions.
Design a space where you can have your devotion time.
Ensure that there’s a big chance that the space you’ll choose is noise-free and clutter-free during your time of devotion.
In addition, add some cues that will trigger your brain that this is the time you’ll have a table talk with God.
Our brains love patterns.
So give yours one.
You can light the same scented candle.
Use the same spot in your house. It doesn’t have to be a room, just a good space to talk to God.
Open the same journal or notes.
These cues condition your mind: This is where I meet with God.
It’s not magic—it’s muscle memory.
Even a 3-minute habit can shift your soul into presence.
And don’t just take my word with that, Psychologists call this “habit-stacking,” and it’s one of the fastest ways to build sustainable spiritual practices.
When I switched to doing one passage a day devotion, I also decided to have it on a different spot.
Before, I used to do it in my home office.
But I realized that area triggers me to work instead of focusing on my time with God.
What I did was move to a small table in our living room, since it was totally quiet during early mornings.
Then, I start my day brewing coffee and preparing my journal.
And from that moment, my devotion time becomes more intimate, joyful, and obligation-free.
4. Choose rhythm over pressure
Let me be honest about this.
You don’t need a streak—you need a rhythm.
Many Christian dads get frustrated and disappointed whenever they miss their time of devotion.
However, that should not be the case.
Our goal is not to complete a 365-day checklist every year.
But to meet God willingly and joyfully.
Missed a day?
So what?
Start again.
Five minutes with God daily will shape you more than a once-a-month spiritual binge.
Research shows that consistent spiritual rhythms—even just 10 minutes a day—lead to increased resilience, stronger marriages, and deeper parental engagement.
Imagine how strong it could be if we grow it naturally to 30 minutes, 1 hour per day.
Jesus isn’t watching the clock.
He’s walking with you.
He does not want you to have perfect attendance.
He wants to meet you regardless of what you’re feeling right now.
So, choose grace.
When things are not moving according to your plan, choose grace.
When your space becomes chaotic during your devotion time, still choose grace.
Because God always does.
"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5 (NLT)
Jesus didn’t say, “Memorize everything perfectly.”
He said, "Remain in Me."
That’s not about performance—it’s about staying close.
You can remain in Him while rocking a baby.
You can remain while folding laundry, or stuck in traffic.
You remain by returning.
By showing up in the mess.
By trusting that He’s not measuring you—He’s meeting you.
You don’t need to wake up earlier if that doesn’t fit your schedule.
You don’t need to feel holy when things are messed up.
You don’t need to subscribe to a complicated devotional plan.
You just need one honest moment where you say:
"God, I want to be near You—even in this."
And that?
That’s where your devotion habit begins.
If you love this content, you can support me by buying me a coffee
Bonus Content:
This week, I will be sharing more helpful content regarding building a devotional habit for busy dads. So, stay tuned for my next email tomorrow. We will deep dive more to the topic of How to create a sacred space even in a chaotic home.
Want more?
Every Sunday, I send a weekly editable notion planner which consists of a 7-day devotional (with journaling prompts), Personal Weekly Tracker, Work Tracker, and some challenges for Christian dads, like you.
👉 Get the Simplify Dad Life Weekly Planner for FREE!
With you in the fight.
Your DadBud,
Klem