4 Ways to Encourage Kids to Spend Time with God

Welcome guest blogger, Dixie Walker!

Hide-and-seek is a familiar childhood game. The point is for one person to search out every possible spot of the given area in order to find the concealed person. Children have so much fun playing this game! The anticipation of finding the one hidden is what makes the game so enjoyable.

When it comes to seeking God, we don’t always think about discovering the wonderful surprises He has in store for us when we open His Word or pray to Him. This ongoing conversation with the Lord is vital to growing stronger in relationship with Him. And this is something important for children to know as they, too, are growing in their faith.

Consider these 4 ways to encourage kids to spend time with God and pass them on to parents!

1. Fuel it! Pour the Word of God into the lives of your kids. Read it, listen to it, sing it, and talk about it. Make sure each child has a Bible and choose an age-appropriate devotional or reading plan to guide the way into the great adventure of knowing God. (Check out Lifeway’s devotionals More, Adventure, and Bible Express here.)
2. Share it! Nothing motivates someone to pray more than hearing how God has answered the prayers of others. Your answered prayers will become a positive reinforcement for your child to pursue answers to life events. Your child will learn that seeking the Lord’s will is a natural, enjoyable aspect of the Christian life. A great Bible promise for children to learn is: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
3. Model it! Demonstrate consistent prayer and Bible study in your own life. Keep ongoing prayer concerns/requests in your conversations. Your relationship-building with God will become evident in the eyes of your kids, and in time they’ll want to follow your lead in it.
4. Journal it! Encourage your child to write down any questions and answers she is currently seeking from the Lord during her quiet times. Assure her that her prayer journal is a private matter between herself and God. Writing down God’s answers to prayer will encourage her to continue building a close relationship with Him.

Seize moments to teach children to seek the Lord. He wants to be found and delights in relationship with all who know Him!

Dixie Walker has been in childhood ministry with families and teachers for the past 20 years. She and her family currently reside in middle Tennessee.

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