How I Start My Day With God (and Outsmart the Devil’s Distractions)

We’ve all heard the saying, “Looks like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Translation: the day feels off from the get-go. In my house, if I’m saying it to Joe, it usually means he’s grouchier than a sore-tailed cat.

But over the last year, I’ve been making an intentional effort to start my mornings differently, on the right side of the bed, so to speak. Of course, it doesn’t always go as planned. Some mornings still spiral, but I remind myself it’s only one day, and tomorrow is a fresh start.

My First Step: Gratitude Before My Feet Hit the Floor

As soon as my eyes open, I whisper, “Thank You, Lord, for giving me another day.” That’s the easy part. The tricky part? Sticking to my devotional before the day steals my focus.

If Joe’s already up, my routine looks like this:

• Wake up and say my Thank You prayer
• Grab my phone
• Open my YouVersion Bible App
• Read and listen to the Daily Devotion

I like to do this before getting out of bed because the second my feet hit the floor, the world starts pulling at me.

When I Have to Improvise

If Joe’s still sleeping, things shift a bit. The YouVersion devotional has a short video, but I won’t play it while he’s sleeping. Instead, I slip out of bed, feed Lucy Lu (who acts like she hasn’t eaten in a week), grab my coffee, and take her outside.

Here’s where trouble starts. If I open my computer “just for a second,” I risk going down a rabbit hole. Before I know it, I’ve lost an hour and my devotional is still undone.

My Two-Reminder System

To keep myself on track, I’ve put two safeguards in place:

1. Daily Scripture Email: The verse of the day lands in my inbox each morning, so even if I peek at email first, it’s staring me in the face.
2. Phone Alarm: Every morning, my phone reminds me to stop and spend time with God.

These simple steps have made a huge difference, because the truth is, the devil loves to derail me.

Recognizing the Devil’s Distractions

Some days, the YouVersion app won’t load. Coincidence? I think not. I’ll restart my Wi-Fi, try a different network, and flat-out tell the devil, “Give up, you’re not winning this one.”

Other days, the distractions come through people, Joe calling me to look at something, the blog having a problem, or Lucy Lu pawing at the door. I’ve learned to spot these little tricks for what they are: an attempt to pull me away from the Lord.

The Busyness Trap

One of the devil’s most effective tactics? Busyness. It’s far too easy to think, “God’s always available, so I’ll just meet with Him later.” But later doesn’t always come.

Hebrews 2:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—

Yes, I mess up. The devil is sometimes successful in sidetracking me. But in the end, I can take great pleasure in knowing that he will not succeed. The blood of Jesus Christ has already defeated him. The devil might win a few battles, but he will not win the war.

Revelations 20:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Bye-bye, devil. Couldn’t happen to a nicer person.

To God Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!

Let’s End With a Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gift of a new day and the opportunity to draw closer to You. Help me to keep my eyes on You first thing in the morning, before the world crowds in. Give me wisdom to recognize the distractions for what they are and the strength to resist them. Remind me that time with You is never wasted and that the battle has already been won through Jesus Christ. Amen.