How to reclaim your lunch break for spiritual growth
Missy Lee
If you struggle to find time for Jesus, you’re not alone.
Most of us jump out of bed and hit the ground running. From there, we face school drop-off lines and work deadlines until we get in line for home. At home, we make dinner, go over homework, do laundry, clean up, and collapse into the bed.
We live at a breakneck pace, leaving little room for spiritual or physical rest. It’s a struggle God’s people have faced from the very beginning.
Time with the Lord was never meant to be something we check off the to-do list, but something we weave throughout the day.
In Deuteronomy 6, God’s people stood ready to take possession of the land He promised to them. This promise came with responsibility. Getting there took 40 years, and settling there would take work, too. They were weary from traveling, and they were about to get really busy fighting the current inhabitants, building homes, and working the land.
Their days were long just to survive, and if they weren’t careful, they would quickly forget the God who had brought them there to begin with. So God gives them one last bit of instruction: Don’t get so busy that you neglect time with me and my Word.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 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 6:5-7).
Time with the Lord was never meant to be something we check off the to-do list, but something we weave throughout the day. Just like God gave Israel practical ways to connect with Him during his busy season, He gives us ways to reconnect during the day as well.
5 Ways to Feed Your Soul on Your Lunch Break
1. Use the time to memorize Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).
Write a couple of verses on a note card. If you struggle with being kind to your coworkers, consider starting with Colossians 4:6 or Ephesians 4:29. If you struggle to believe you are who God says you are, start by memorizing promises like Romans 8:1 and Psalm 103:13.
Pull your cards out during lunch and reflect on them as you eat. Recalling God’s promises and instructions throughout the day reminds us who God is and who we are as His children.
2. Read the Bible on your phone (Psalm 1:2-3).
The more we know of God’s Word, the more it shapes who we are. Reading the Bible changes how we work, how we interact others, and even how we deal with traffic jams because it teaches us what matters to God.
If you don’t know where to start, download the NewSpring App. You can pick a study and read through a book of the Bible at a time. If reading on your phone is frowned upon, bring your printed Bible or pop in some earbuds and let the Bible App read the Bible to you.
God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). Even if you don’t think you’re getting anything out of it at first, reading the Bible will cause you to love God more over time.
In the middle of a hard day, singing thanks to God can lift your spirits and put you in the right frame of mind to better serve Him in the hours that remain.
Your phone and some earbuds can make the break room a place for praise and worship. Or, you can sit in the car, turn up the stereo, and sing along in privacy.
4. Listen to sermons or podcasts (Jeremiah 3:15).
We can learn a lot by listening to someone further along in their walk with Jesus. God has given us lots of teachers to help point us to Him.
If you have a long commute to work, listening to a sermon could be a great way to spend that drive as well. Then you could review the Scripture on your own during lunch.
5. Make lunch a time for prayer (Deuteronomy 4:7).
Prayer is how we converse with God. As we share our feelings, concerns, and questions with God, we begin to see Him at work in our lives. It is amazing to see how God responds to our needs in ways we would never have imagined and changes our hearts when our desires are not what’s best for us.
Making lunch a time for prayer can be as simple as jotting down some names of people with needs and committing to pray for them daily. You could even keep a journal. If you’re not sure where to start, try this 27-day prayer guide online or on the NewSpring App.
We’re all busy. But all of our hard work is for nothing if we forget the God who brought us the opportunity in the first place. So look for places and spaces in your day — from the break room or the carpool line — where you can connect with your heavenly Father, even if it’s just for a few minutes.