6 Ways to Start Every Morning with God

A rhythmic practice to start your day off the right way extends far beyond the reach of a cup of orange juice and a hearty protein-packed breakfast: the greatest way to begin each morning is to dedicate the day to the Lord. There is no specific recipe for this, but offering praise and worship is a beautiful way to begin. We are told in Psalm 100:4 to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courtyards with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name” (NASB). Recalling the goodness of God in our hearts and praising Him with our mouths and spirits invokes worship, and it reminds us of His faithfulness. Worship, gratitude, and invitation to the Holy Spirit cultivate a holy, set apart, consecrated space for the Lord. The focal point for the day no longer is that of emails, to-do lists, or us; instead, the foundation of the day is the pursuit of the Lord.

After setting the tone and establishing the genuine goal of the day to love and serve the Lord, begin to prepare your heart for His work within you. Psalm 139:23-24 is a prayer of David. We too can pray in surrender to the Lord daily, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” (NASB)

Anxiety prowls to incite doubt or fear, but it is not a battle to be ignored or a battle to face alone. When we ask the Lord to search our thoughts, shine a light in the deepest crevices of our hearts, and know us completely, it is there that real change can take place. We no longer cling to the conceit of attempting to fix ourselves, but we lay down everything before Him so that He may lead us in that everlasting way. A good prayer to pray as well is, “Lord, get in my head before anything else does.” The more we develop an ear to know His voice (John 10), the sturdier our steps will become in the path He has laid before us.

In the same way anxiety attempts to overtake us, we must acknowledge that there is so much more in the unseen than the seen. Paul shares in Ephesians 6:10-12:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Because of this unseen battle, we must put on our spiritual armor daily and firmly fix our focus, attention, and hearts upon the Lord. Paul goes on to say in verses 13-19: “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” (NASB)

When getting ready for the day, you will need to put on more than clean clothing; you will need to pray for the garments of protection only God can bestow.

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Meditating on Scripture is another way to begin your day the right way. Some pastors encourage the 5/5/5 rule of the morning of five minutes of worship, five minutes of the Word, and five minutes in prayer. It is a good rule of thumb, but something very much up to the discretion of the person. It is vital to include Scripture within daily practice, be it a few verses from a book or in the form of a Bible-based devotional that will expand on a verse or chapter. Joshua 1:8 encourages us to daily ponder Scripture, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success.” (NASB)

This will establish the foundation for faith and your day.

A time of prayer is vital for your daily routine with the Lord. Asking Him to convict your heart for places to change or course correct, for insights and preparation for what the day or coming time will bring, or for just listening is pivotal for your day. He knows more than we do, and when we listen to His voice over our own thoughts and assumptions, it is there that we not only experience walking in His wisdom, but we develop a more personal relationship with Him. Relationship is more than God listening to us ask for things, and it is more than us listening for Him to speak; it is exploring life with, through, and by His Spirit, and it occurs through the practice of prayer.

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Lastly, close by dedicating the day unto Him. Your day may be filled with stress and workload demands, or it may be filled with adventure and joy, but both can honor and glorify Him. When we dedicate the day to the Lord, we find that no matter what it brings, our actions, words, and thoughts answer to Him. We are also reminded that our lives reflect Him and what we can do as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, so we align ourselves to do His will over the tasks and asks of our worldly agendas. Give this day and every day to the Lord and begin to see that life transforms and becomes vibrant, joy-filled, and full (John 10:10).