Men bear the responsibility to guide, guard and govern their families.
WOW! What a tremendous weight we carry as men. And it is those responsibilities alone, that can prevent us from spending time with our Heavenly Father.
As much as I love my wife, my family, and church, to effectively lead in these different roles, I need to get my time in with God.
Prioritize Time With God
It’s so important that we step back from the daily hustle and grind, from all the demands of the world, and take the necessary time out with God. Trust me, when you prioritize time with Him daily, you will feel; rejuvenated, refueled, and ready to give more of yourself to others.
Not to mention, we will be the best man, husband, father, and / or employer God has called us to be.
Often times we measure our success as men based on what we accomplish in our careers or financial gain. But true success only comes once we spend time in the Word.
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” ~ Joshua 1:8(NLT)
The Domino Effect On Men
The roles we fulfill as men require a lot of time, energy, effort and patience. And if we can be real, patience is not one of our strongest suits.
However, the success of the father determines the success of the family.
I was groomed as a men’s ministry leader by my mentor. And one of the founding principles he instilled in me was that if we could help men become strong men of God, it will have a domino effect and ultimately help the families.
Strengthening Men, Ultimately Strengthen Families And Our Communities. Click To Tweet
Well in order for us to help strengthen the men, we have to go to the source of all MEN. We need to lean on something other than ourselves.
“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMPC)
Time With God Means True Rest
In order to be all that God has called us to be to our family, to our children and to society, it will require us to rest both in Him and in the natural.
Matthew 11:28 (AMPC) tells us: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
What this verse is saying, is men who are tired from their fruitless toil, and their daily hustle to go to Jesus for true rest.
When I read the Bible, I read it as if it were God speaking to me. And I read this as Jesus saying; come on son, I’m expecting you who are weary from your daily hustle and grind come to me and rest.
It takes great strength to rest in God and do nothing; letting God be God!
Rest means to be refreshed and at peace. And God is the only one who can bring us peace that surpasses all human understanding. (Considering reading Philippians 4:6-8)
Does It Matter Where I Rest?
Now let’s talk about this place of rest. It can be your man cave, your garage, or anywhere; as long as it’s a place where you can be still and hear from God.
For me, it’s in the morning before my wife, and kids wake- up. As I begin my morning in our War Room.
No matter where you find your place of rest, the common theme must be that we go to God and get quiet before Him. Purpose to spend time in prayer, reading and listening for Him to refuel our soul.
“So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.” ~ Hebrews 4:11 (NLT)
If we aren’t able to take time to rest in Him, we will be ineffective in our service to God, our wives, kids, our community, and our jobs. So I encourage you to pursue and be diligent in finding your place of rest.
I’ll end with a peace quote we have in our home as a reminder…
Prioritize your time with God, because in Him, you will find all, you need.
~ André Gray
