A Morning Devotional Routine For Women: The 5-Minute Refresh Rhythm
- jennytheissignutri
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
The alarm breaks through the silence. I roll over, wishing I could go back to sleep. It’s dark and cold out, but I know if I don’t get up now, my hopes of enjoying my morning coffee in peace are over.
I make my way through the darkened bedroom, trying not to trip over the pile of laundry lying on the floor (I really must take care of that today), and into the kitchen. As the coffee machine heats up, I rub my eyes, hoping it will wake me up. I pick up my phone and start aimlessly scrolling through Instagram, and the smell of coffee fills the room.
Then I hear it — the squeaking of a door and the patter of little feet. He is awake.
“Hi Mum.” I wrap him in my arms, enjoying the moment but still wishing I had had a few extra moments of quiet. I guess time with Jesus will have to wait.
Early motherhood is a challenging season, especially spiritually. Our hearts desire to spend time in the Word, but between the early mornings, late nights, and endless to-do lists, finding time seems impossible.
For a long time, I thought, when the kids get older, I will have more time for Jesus. The reality is, life never slows down; it changes. Instead of nappies and bottles, you’re dealing with school runs and homework. Or balancing careers and teenage hormones. We always hope that the next season will be easier but he next season brings a different kind of busyness.
If you always wait for time, then you will never build a habit of spending time with God.
We need to make time for Jesus in the season we are in. Proverbs 24:33–34 warns us that laziness and procrastination lead to poverty — how much more do we need to work to gain spiritual wealth (an intimate relationship with God)?
As a young mum, I struggled to find time for God in my daily life. My heart was willing, but my flesh was weak (Matt. 26:41).
Are you in one of those busy seasons? Wanting to spend time with God but struggling to find the time? Then maybe it’s time for a spiritual reset. It’s time to build a Daily Refresh rhythm.
morning devotional routine for women
This is not about cozy Christianity; we are learning to abide in Him in the everyday.
John 15:4 calls us to abide in Him as He abides in us. We want to spend time in the Word, but we simply don’t feel like we have the time. The Daily Refresh is an invitation to incorporate Christ into your everyday routine.
Coffee is already a part of your daily rhythm; we are replacing the worldly scroll (social media) with the Holy Scroll (the Word of God).
Setting the Daily Refresh Rhythm
1. Reset: center your heart on Jesus
We often use brewing time to scroll on our phones, being distracted by social media and text messages. Instead, spend two minutes talking to God. Ask him to help you set your mind on things above (Col 3:2) and thank him for meeting you right there in your kitchen (or in the break room at work). If you are unsure what to say, try this prayer.
Jesus, thank you for meeting me here this morning. Please help me to set my heart on you and not allow my phone or my to-do list to distract me. Help me to slow down and spend time with you. Thank you for wanting to spend time with me. Please awaken the discipline to seek you daily this morning. Amen.
2. Read: Keep it short
Reading a few verses may not feel like enough, but this is not the long-term goal. We are striving to reset our spiritual lives. Just like building an exercise habit doesn’t end with a 5-minute workout, 5 minutes in the Word is also not the end goal; it simply makes starting (or re-starting) the habit easier.
Aim for a short passage (5-10 verses) using your bible headlines as a guide. Read slowly and observe what is happening. Read it again if time permits. Read it again when your mind starts to wander.
3. Reflect: What does this teach me about God?
Most of us have been trained to ask; what does this verse mean to me? However, this leads to a misinterpretation of the Word. We need to ask ourselves, what does it teach me about God? What does it show me about his character and heart?
The verse means what it means, but how we apply it to our individual lives is unique.
4. Respond: How can I apply this to my life?
Take a few moments to thank God for His Word and for what he has spoken to you in this time. Ask him how you can apply what you have read to your life. This is an essential part of our time. This is the transformation stage.
When we rush from reading straight into our day, we don't allow the Holy Spirit to transform us. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to take control of your day. Slow down and worship Him for who He is and all he has done for you.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will speak directly into your situation. Other times it will be unclear for now (but God will reveal his truth in his perfect timing). Worship Him anyway.
Tips for Success:
Maybe now you are thinking; I’ve tried this all before, what makes you think this would work this time? I get it. I have tried many routines before, but here are three tips that I believe will set you up for success. Use this routine for a week and see if you are not craving more from Christ by the end.
Set the timer
This may be a literal timer or it might be a time of day. You might set an alarm for 6:00 and hope the kids will sleep through. You may also decide to spend time with Jesus while the kids are at school, napping, or on your lunch break at work.
Setting an alarm on your phone or blocking out your Google Calendar helps to set an intention. When the notification pops up or the alarm rings, your brain connects "now is my time with Jesus".
Turn your phone on DND.
Our phones often hinder our spiritual growth. The first thing many of us do when we wake up is check our messages and social media. Once we open Instagram, we are easily pulled into the doom scroll. Before we know it, we are rushing out the door to get the kids to school on time or make it to work. Instead of doing this, we need to set the phone away
Setting your phone on DND is a physical step to changing our mindset. When we set our phones to DND, we reduce distraction and allow our minds to focus on Jesus. It is an outside sign of inward intention.
Bonus: keep the phone in a different room. The physical effort of having to get up and check your phone will naturally deter you from doing it.
Use a physical bible.
A digital bible is great because it is convenient. Wherever you go, you have the Word of God with you. But our phones are designed to distract. The constant notifications, dings and colours take away our focus and before we know it, we are running late (again).
Instead of using an app, use a physical bible. By using a physical bible, you remove many of the distractions and allow your mind to slow down and engage in the Word.
Bonus: Keep a notebook beside you
If you feel your mind wander with something that needs to be done, quickly write it down. You can take care of this afterwards. Our brains struggle to hold onto ideas, but by writing them down, we release our minds to focus on the Word before us.
Final Thoughts:
The Daily Refresh is not an abstract concept; it is a daily habit. When we invite Christ into our daily lives, we allow Him to take centre stage. Though 5 minutes may seem insignificant, it helps us to build the habit that may have been long forgotten.
The Daily Refresh is not about cozy Instagram vibes but about bringing God into our normal everyday lives.
We are not lowering the bar long term; we are making the entry point easier so we can rebuild the habit of spending time with Jesus.
Whether you are struggling to build an abiding habit or have lost it during the busyness of life, let this be the day you start daily refreshing yourself in the presence of the Lord.
If you find this article helpful, please join the mailing list for practical encouragement and share the article with a friend who is also struggling to find time for God in the daily chaos of life.
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