Living On Purpose In Christ | Biblical Encouragement, Aromatherapy, Devotions, Essential Oils, Daily Prayer, Journal Prompts

113 | Biblical Time Management: Balancing Life and Spiritual Growth

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Essential Oil Practitioner • Season 2

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Ever crawl into bed and realize the day rushed by without a single quiet pause with God? We’ve all been there, and today we open a gentle but practical path forward—small, sacred pauses that fit real life. Instead of waiting for a perfect schedule, we can choose presence in the middle of the mess and discover how a five-minute rhythm can reset the heart without adding pressure.

We start by naming the “later” mirage and trading perfection for grace. You’ll also get a clear, repeatable five-minute routine. We show how daily margins—brewing coffee, traffic, dishes—can become invitations for awareness instead of distractions. With Mary and Martha as our lens, we embrace rhythms, not rules, and learn to adapt practices to changing seasons: one verse on hard days, deeper study when life allows. Along the way, we share community resources at DevotionDrops.com along with gentle encouragement to keep showing up, even when it’s messy or brief.

If you’re longing for a God-aligned day that blends sacred and ordinary, this conversation offers tools you can use immediately. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help others find the show. What small moment will you reclaim for prayer today?

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Paula Behrens:

Have you ever crawled into bed at night and realized you didn't pause once during the day to talk with God? You meant to, you planned to. You even set your Bible on the kitchen counter open to your favorite psalm, right next to your essential oil diffuser. But somewhere between the morning coffee spill, the unexpected work email, and the last load of laundry, your good intention slipped into tomorrow's to-do list. Well, you're not alone. The struggle to find time for spiritual growth is one of the most honest confessions among Christians today. We want to grow in faith. We long to feel close to God. We know that prayer and scripture are the lifeblood of a vibrant relationship with Christ, yet the pace of modern life feels like a treadmill that never stops. And somewhere in the middle of the busyness, our spiritual rhythm gets tangled in the noise of everything else. So, how do we untangle our time? How do we find spiritual growth in a world that glorifies hurry? We'll have a little heart to heart about that in a few moments. But first, funny story.

Paula Behrens:

When I first began my seminary work while serving two church congregations full-time, everyone assumed I had my daily devotional time perfectly organized. But truth be told, there were mornings I could barely find five minutes to catch my breath, let alone dive into deep reflection. One day, as I rushed out the door with mismatched shoes, I realized that even in my chaos, there was a lesson. Embracing God's grace and self-forgiveness, I realized that true success in my devotional life requires prioritizing my spiritual practices.

Paula Behrens:

Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula, and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you. Please take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, and share with your friends who need a little biblical encouragement today.

Paula Behrens:

Hey friend… I know how exhausting it can be to chase after a devotional routine that’s just not working for you, constantly restarting with good intentions while fighting through distractions that keep pulling you away from God. I've walked that path myself, that cycle of trying my best but falling short. That's precisely why I created the Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour. It's a sacred space where we work together to develop a peace reset utilizing a complementary essential oil sampler that I'll send to you ahead of our session. This unique approach will bring emotional alignment and clarity to your spiritual journey. Imagine stepping into a rhythm that truly refreshes your soul, anchoring you in God's presence for that lasting sense of calm you've been craving. This is your invitation to make it doable today. Turn your quiet time into a source of thriving faith. Save your seat now for an Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour + Peace RESET at paulabehrens.com/coaching. That's Paula Behrens B E H R E N S .com /coaching (no spaces). It's time to start breathing peace into your walk with Jesus.

Paula Behrens:

All right, let's get started. Grab your Bible, dust off your journal, and cozy up to your favorite beverage and let's dive in. It is so easy to imagine that spiritual growth will happen later, later when the kids are older, later when the work slows down, later when life feels calmer. But here's the truth later is a mirage. The enemy loves to whisper that you'll have more time tomorrow because it keeps you from making time today. God isn't waiting for you to clear your schedule before he meets with you. He's waiting for you to invite him into your schedule now. He's not looking for hours of polished prayer, he's looking for your heart in the middle of your everyday moments. When Jesus walked this earth, he was surrounded by people all the time, crowds pressing in, disciples asking questions, needs pulling on him from every direction. And yet he managed to slip away to pray. Not because he had more time than you and I do, but because he chose to make time. Luke chapter 5, verse 16 tells us, but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. He didn't wait for the perfect moment, he created it. Maybe that's the shift we need too. Not waiting for open spaces in our day, but creating small sacred pauses that invite God in.

Paula Behrens:

Just as Jesus often retreated into places of tranquility, places that were likely imbued with the natural aromas of the earth, so too can we create spaces where our senses draw us closer to God. You might be surprised how the sense of smell can play a role in your faith journey. But here's the thing: God designed our bodies in such an intricate way that our sense of smell directly connects to the limbic system, the part of our brain that governs emotion and memory. That's why fragrance can transport you back to a moment or calm your spirit almost instantly. When paired with prayer or scripture, scent becomes a beautiful anchor for your faith. Imagine beginning your scripture reading time with the soothing aroma of frankincense known since biblical times as a symbol of worship and holiness, or diffusing citrus oils like orange or bergamot during your morning devotions to lift your mood and focus your mind. The scent becomes part of your sacred rhythm. So that later, when you catch that same fragrance in the air, your heart remembers this is where I meet with God. That's not mysticism, that's mindful worship. You're using what God already created to bring your wandering heart back to Him. If you're an essential oil enthusiast, you already know how these aromas can shift the atmosphere of your home. Why not let them help you create a space that welcomes in His presence, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 15, For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ.

Paula Behrens:

Another simple yet transformative tool for enhancing your quiet time is journaling. This isn't about perfect handwriting or fancy stationary, it's about genuine, raw, reflective writing that allows you to see where God is at work in your life. When life moves fast, journaling slows it down long enough for you to notice grace in motion. If you've ever said, I just don't have time to journal, well, I understand. But what if you reframe it as, I'll take two minutes to write one sentence? You can jot down your gratitude, a prayer, or a single takeaway from your morning verse. Over time, those quick entries become a mosaic of faith, snapshots of your spiritual growth. Maybe you keep a small notebook in your purse or use your notes app on your phone. Maybe you scent your journal pages with a drop of lavender or cedar wood oil to associate that moment with calm reflection. Even one line a day can become a conversation with God. Journaling is less about recording perfection and more about remembering presence.

Paula Behrens:

Let's get practical for a moment. You might be saying, Okay, Paula, this all sounds beautiful, but how do I fit it in? Here's a simple rhythm that takes less than five minutes. Step one, breathe. Take a deep, slow breath. Inhale peace. Exhale pressure. If you like, put a drop of your favorite essential oils in your palms, like peppermint for clarity or frankincense for focus. Breathe in the aroma and remind yourself, I am in the presence of God. Step two, read one verse. You can open your YouVersion app, a devotional book, or simply recall a verse you've memorized. Either read or recall it slowly. Speak it out loud if possible. Let the words land softly in your heart. Step three, reflect. Ask, what is God showing me right now through this verse? It doesn't need to be profound, just honest. Step four, respond. Say a short prayer. It could be as simple as, Lord, help me walk in this truth today. Five minutes. That's all. It's not about quantity, it's about connection. And here's what happens the more you do it, the more you'll crave it. Those five minutes will grow organically into longer moments as your soul learns to rest in the rhythm of grace.

Paula Behrens:

Let's talk about those hidden corners of your day, the in-betweens, the time spent waiting for your coffee to brew, sitting in traffic or scrolling through your phone before bed. Those margins hold potential for divine encounters. Instead of filling them with distraction, what if you invited God into them? You could listen to an audio Bible while commuting, whisper a prayer while brushing your teeth, play worship music while cooking dinner. You're not adding tasks, you're transforming moments. God doesn't only dwell in sanctuaries, he walks with you in carpool lanes and grocery aisles. When you begin to see every moment as an opportunity to connect with Him, the sacred and the ordinary start to blend beautifully. That's how faith fits naturally into a busy life. It stops being a separate category and becomes the rhythm beneath it all.

Paula Behrens:

Let's be real. There will be days when you miss your devotional time, skip prayer or feel spiritually dry. The enemy loves to turn those moments into shame-filled whispers. See, he says, You're failing at faith again. You're not disciplined enough. You'll never be consistent. But guilt has no place in grace. Jesus isn't standing at the end of your day with crossed arms, disappointed that you didn't do enough. He's walking beside you, whispering, Come, rest with me even now. Remember the story of Martha and Mary in Luke chapter 10? Martha was busy, so busy. She was serving, preparing, organizing, all good things, but she missed the better thing, sitting at Jesus' feet. When she complained to Jesus about Mary's lack of help, he gently said, Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Friend, you don't have to earn your place at his feet. You just have to choose it, even in the smallest moments. So if today felt chaotic and you only had 30 seconds to breathe out, Lord help me, that counts. That's prayer, that's presence, that's relationship. Sometimes spiritual growth doesn't come in bursts of revelation, but in the quiet lulls between noise. Those rare moments when the house is still, the phone is silent, and you finally exhale. That's when your soul starts to hear God's voice again. Psalm 62.1 says, Truly my soul finds rest in God, my salvation comes from him. If your spiritual life feels tangled, maybe God isn't asking you to do more, but to be still enough to notice him. Still enough to hear the whisper beneath the noise, to hear him saying, I am here. That whisper is where transformation begins.

Paula Behrens:

So how do we make spiritual growth sustainable, not just a weekend goal or New Year's resolution? Well, it begins with rhythm, not rules. Think about how your body has natural rhythms, breathing, sleeping, eating. Your spirit thrives on rhythms too. Daily prayer, devotions, and journaling prompts aren't meant to be rigid checklists. They are invitations to communion. If you find mornings too hectic, meet with God in the evenings. If your day starts early, let your commute become your prayer space. The point is not when you connect, it's that you connect. For example, you could create a simple morning scent ritual. Each time you apply your essential oil, say a verse like, This is a day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Or perhaps your nightly routine becomes an emotional reset. You journal one sentence, diffuse lavender, and thank God for one thing He did that day. That's spiritual growth in real life.

Paula Behrens:

Now there will be seasons when your faith rhythm changes. New babies, job transitions, caregiving, or health challenges can all disrupt routines. But spiritual growth isn't about perfection, it's about perseverance. Ecclesiastes 3.1 reminds us, there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. If you're in a busy or overwhelming season, simplify. One verse, one breath, one prayer. If you're in a spacious season, expand. Study deeper, journal longer, pray wider. What matters is not how much you do, but that you stay connected. God's love doesn't fluctuate with your level of busyness. His presence is steady, even when your schedule is not.

Paula Behrens:

Okay, let's bring this closer to home. What if your morning coffee became communion? What if washing the dishes became worship? What if every time you felt overwhelmed you paused, not to scroll, but to say, Lord, show me where you are in this moment? That's what it means to pray without ceasing. It's not about constant talking, it's about continual awareness. When your heart stays turned toward him, even your errands become encounters. That's living on purpose in Christ, not waiting for the perfect time, but inviting him into every time. God delights in the one who keeps showing up, even when it's messy, even when it's short, even when it's whispered between tasks. So take heart, friend. You're growing right where you are, in the middle of your time tangle, learning to untie it one moment at a time. And in the process, you'll discover something beautiful. The more you seek him in your minutes, the more you'll sense him in your moments.

Paula Behrens:

Before we close the show today, I want to personally invite you to join our Facebook community, Biblical Encouragement and Devotional Rhythms with Essential Oils. It's a peaceful, Christ-centered space where spirit-focused friends are learning how to make time for God in the middle of real life. You'll find practical encouragement, Bible-based inspiration, and gentle reminders that you don't have to do this faith walk alone. Inside the group, you'll also find a free download each month to help you stay spiritually refreshed and focused. This month for November, we're featuring "Awaken to Aroma: Scent, Scripture and Brain Health," a beautiful resource exploring how fragrance and faith work together to renew your mind and strengthen your walk with God. Come join us and experience the community, encouragement, and grace that's waiting for you. Visit DevotionDrops.com to connect today. That's Devotion Drops D-R-O-P-S .com (no spaces). Let's keep growing in Christ one fragrant, faith-filled moment at a time.

Paula Behrens:

Thank you for tuning in today. And remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church potluck. If you were blessed by this episode, be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review so that we can reach even more listeners like you. Check the show notes for all the links. Join us next week as we continue to discover how to live on purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into Him and and walking in His wisdom. See you next time.