My sister is so focused on work and doesn't have time for God

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Jul 12, 2021
81
47
18
#1
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,344
3,720
113
68
#2
Hello @Redcars, you could begin to pray regularly for her. You could also suggest that she go every other week, or even once a month for the time being. I don't buy the "I'm too busy" excuse, but perhaps getting church back on her schedule, even if it's only on a limited basis at first, would eventually result in greater attendance and involvement down the road a bit :unsure:

God bless you!

~Deut
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,438
3,218
113
#3
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?
Tell her the truth. She has her priorities wrong. Guilt is God's warning that something is wrong. Truth hurts but it also sets us free.

It helps to know the difference between a guilty conscience and condemnation. God does not condemn, but He does convict of sin. God's intent is to turn someone away from a sin that will harm them and put them back on track. Satan is the accuser of the brethren and seeks to bring Christians to despair.

If your sister accepts the truth and acts on it, she will put God first in her life. If she does not, God will withdraw His blessing. If she only realised it, she does not have time NOT to spend time in spiritual things. If we will seek the kingdom of God first, He will ensure that we are blessed.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#4
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?

I'm retired now. But I was in the workforce for many years with great and well known companies.
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?
Your sisters situation is not unusual. In fact, the work places of so many major corporations have become completely secular. The problem with these secular corporations is the environment which they create, in concern for religious belief and practices. Today's companies have no place for God. This being the case, employees at these companies don't see others practicing their Christian faith, so they feel very comfortable in not practicing the faith they were raised with. Since no one else is practicing the faith, why should they bother? Those who abandon their faith for today's corporate culture feel very much at ease in abandoning the faith. I'm not judging anyone, just stating a fact.
 
T

TheIndianGirl

Guest
#5
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?
Is your sister working long hours? Does she need to work extra for financial reasons? Also, what do you mean when you tell her that she is choosing work over God? Do you mean she should work less hours?

Unless your sister is working every single day, and long hours at that, I just think your sister isn't too interested in reading the Bible or going to church right now. Try to get your sister interested in God first, without asking her to consume time by going to church or reading the Bible right now. You know your sister best; try first to have conversations with her instead of directing her to do different things.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#6
what kind of work does she do
some workplaces have prayer groups in lunchtimes
otherwise workers often just pray on way to work. I usually do this. Just in the car if driving or just pray when walking. You dont have to be in church or at home to pray.

Give her a diary thats got encouraging scripture each day that might help.
 

Aaron56

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2021
3,039
1,796
113
#7
Ask the Lord to show you who she is in the spirit. Begin speaking what you see to her. Don't guilt her into attending a box on Sunday or reading a certain book. Be the love of God in her presence. Do the work of an evangelist.
 
Jul 12, 2021
81
47
18
#8
what kind of work does she do
some workplaces have prayer groups in lunchtimes
otherwise workers often just pray on way to work. I usually do this. Just in the car if driving or just pray when walking. You dont have to be in church or at home to pray.

Give her a diary thats got encouraging scripture each day that might help.
she works in a startup so is over 100hrs a week, so she simply doesnt have time, she listens to to the gospel and christian music on the radio everytime she drives so i am sure she would do praying while driving if she is not already doing so, i will sugest this to her
 
Dec 2, 2018
65
37
18
#10
I think that every one does things that they could do less of and use that time to read the bible or pray. Think of all the time that people spend drinking at bars or watching sports. Alot of hours are spent doing that of course work takes up most the time. Theres always time you just have to change your time around to create it
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,587
13,857
113
#11
I would like to see my sister to make time for God, like read the bible, go to church or pray more. She wants to do this and she is such a wonderful person but she says she doesnt have time, i feel so bad telling her that she is choosing work over God. I dont want to make her feel guilty. What can I do or say to her?
Take church to her. Be the church in her world. Go and read, pray, and worship with her... even 20 minutes a week, over coffee. If she can't find 20 minutes with her sibling, then put her in God's hands and just pray for her.
 
T

tstumf

Guest
#12
A great tool that has come out recently is the Bible app/ or u version Bible if she has a smart phone. Have her take that with her. I watch the verse of the day videos every morning and journal on the scripture the speaker brings to me. They are about 1-2 minutes at most. The other app I have on my phone is called
Lectio 365 and it is a study tool that is at most 10 mins of guided prayer and reflection from Pete Greig, Carla Harding, Brian Heasly, Hannah Heather and the rest of what they call the 24/7 prayer movement team. Very doable and fruitful even on the go. If she’s a tv watcher just to spark some interest in the more I’d encourage the show called The Chosen. Not a documentary of Jesus but it’s better than watching some of the other garbage floating around on tv. Just some thoughts.
 
T

tstumf

Guest
#13
Really what I found. It’s the small micro practices that open up to us wanting more. So instead of making God try to fit around our schedule what starts to happen is we begin to shift focus and say NO. My schedule will now fit around God from here on. Yea I’ve lost some overtime and probably some favor from my boss because my life is in process of being reprioritized to God first. It can’t be forced on someone but I think if you can invite her to take micro practices I think you will find fairly soon the Micro turns into big large scale changes. I haven’t perfected this by any means. I still struggle because the culture and the world fights for our attention constantly. You have to want more of God and the with God life and that is highly opposed in the world which wants more and more of our attention. Faster and faster. I think we need a slow down and shift from overdrive life back into 3rd and move in step with God.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#14
she works in a startup so is over 100hrs a week, so she simply doesnt have time, she listens to to the gospel and christian music on the radio everytime she drives so i am sure she would do praying while driving if she is not already doing so, i will sugest this to her
thats a huge amount of time to be working...!
do you think if she cut down her hours the start up would fail or something. They obviously need to take on more staff.