Make Room: How to Build a Schedule That Hosts God

Let’s talk schedules.

There’s a weird lie that sneaks in around summertime — the idea that rest will just happen. Like somehow between football practice, three birthday parties, and trying to mow the yard before it rains again, your soul will magically find peace.

Spoiler: it won’t.

If you don’t plan for presence, it gets pushed to the edges. That’s why this week, we’re flipping the script. Instead of letting your schedule run you, what if you ran it with God? And this isn’t just about time management. It’s about spiritual alignment. Because what fills your calendar ends up forming your life.

Obed-Edom didn’t just stumble into blessing in 2 Samuel 6. He welcomed the presence of God into his everyday world. He made room, and God moved in. For three months, his home wasn’t just a home, it was a holy place. Why? Because he prioritized presence.

Fasting is one way we do that. It’s a practice of creating space, of saying “no” to one thing so we can say “yes” to God. You don’t have to fast all day or give up food forever. But when you fast something small on purpose — social media, sweets, even Netflix at night — you’re telling your schedule who’s really in charge.

Try This:
1. Pray over your calendar.
Take five minutes at the beginning of the week (Sunday night or Monday morning) and ask God: “What do You want to do with my time?”
Then actually look at your schedule. Appointments, meetings, carpool, trips. Don’t just cram. Invite.
2. Block off time with God.
Seriously, put it on your calendar like it’s an appointment. If your calendar says “Dentist” you wouldn’t just skip it. What if time with God was just as protected?
3. Let margin be a ministry.
Leave space between things. Say no to what drains you. Create room for God to interrupt. That might mean fasting a lunch so you can walk and pray instead. Or logging off social for a day to let your mind breathe.
4. Let yourself feel the pause.
That uncomfortable gap where you want to grab your phone or fill the silence, that's where God wants to speak. Don’t rush past it. Let it slow you down enough to actually listen.

Real Talk:
Let’s be real. Most of us don’t mean to run on fumes — we just end up there. We say yes to everything, then wonder why our soul feels like it’s been hit by a church van with no AC.

This isn’t about being the perfect planner or crushing some productivity gospel. This is about asking: did I even invite God into this week? Did I leave space for Him, or just try to squeeze Him in somewhere between my fourth iced coffee and back-to-back group texts?

It’s not that God needs a slot on your calendar. But you might need one to remember He’s already there. That kind of intentionality — where you block out time, fast a little comfort, or just leave room for quiet — is where peace starts to grow again.

The best summer yet won’t be the one where you did the most. It’ll be the one where you noticed Him the most.

Leadership Side:
If you’re leading others (at home, at work, in ministry) your calendar speaks louder than your words. When people see you prioritize time with God, they start to believe they can too. When you say no to constant noise and yes to margin, you model what it means to lead from overflow, not exhaustion.

So go ahead. Pray over your week. Clear some space. Fast one small thing if you need to.

And remember — what you schedule reveals what you value.

Let’s go.