Sometimes we can struggle to see God at work in our lives, even though he's worked in it in the past. We can struggle to pray and read our Bible, even though we want to. It happens. Let's not self-condemn, saying, 'I'm not holy enough... I'm not praying hard enough...' (fill in as appropriate). Sometimes, we get tired: physically, mentally or emotionally. Have we had enough sleep lately? Have we been going through draining or overwhelming times? All these things affect us.

The amazing Gospel news is that, incredibly, Jesus offers us salvation, healing and life in him, and there's nothing we can do to earn that. If we've said 'yes' to that, brilliant. If we've slipped back into thinking that we must work to earn his attention, then something needs to be re-aligned. Giving Jesus the reins is the solution. He brings joy and purpose to life. He will 'refresh the weary and satisfy the faint' (Jeremiah 31:25 NIV). He can give us peace, rest for our minds and bodies, and healing (sometimes straight away, sometimes over time).

If running to Jesus seems too hard for right now, let's try this: let's ask him to come to us, to push through all the stuff that weighs us down. Just wait... he'll come to us. He's right with us.

So what now? You don't have to work to get God's attention. He is always right with you, waiting for you to ask him. Thank him for that.

We've all experienced relationships where it seems like we're the only one contributing. If we've been in a one-way relationship, we know how it feels to put a whole lot of effort in, only to feel unappreciated or unwanted. Truth is, we can sometimes give God that feeling. Maybe we've read a chunk of the Bible, but are we thanking him for our blessings? Or are we looking to bless someone else because of it? Sometimes the reciprocal relationship bit slips under our radar, and the whole giving back to God can be neglected.

Spending one-on-one time with God allows us to be in his presence, which isn't only about experiencing, but about 'giving back' too. The Psalmist said, 'My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God' (Psalm 42:2 NIV)?

The more our lives become a response to all we find in him, the more we need to, and long to, spend time with him. It happens simultaneously. We spend time with God, which enables and inspires us to live out what we learn from him, which naturally makes us long to go back to him to learn more, which makes us live more like him... so, God is always about more and more.

So what now? Bottom line: spend more and better quality time with God. You'll find that when you do, your relationship with him, and with the people in your life, will be more balanced. It's always win:win with God; it's always more and more...

God's attention scans like a lighthouse beam, searching whatever it lands on, and showing the way. We are asked to ask for God's light to shine on us. Why should we ask God to search our hearts? Here are a couple of reasons:

(1) To be vulnerable with him. David prayed, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting' (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV). When we're vulnerable (simply open and honest) with God, he can mould us into the best version of ourselves. God never meant for us to do life alone.

(2) To commit every day to God. The writer of Proverbs said, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight' (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). Asking God to shine a light on our life will make our life clearer. Let's trust that he knows what's going on when we don't; let's look for his presence in everything. Every single day we have to deal with stuff. But when we go into our day asking God to search our heart, we and our life start to light up.

So what now? Today, look for people whose lives need brightened up. Aim to light up three people's day - one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Do we have a master plan for our future? A colour-coded, itemised, prioritised 10-year plan? Most of us don't! It can feel daunting when the future looks hazy, but God works in different, higher ways to us. Even though he may not show us where we'll be long-term, if we ask him to, he'll guide our steps as we take them.

'I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them' (Isaiah 42:16 NKJV). Before we go down any path, let's consult God: he may not show us our final destination, but he wants us to know that he has a purpose and direction for us, right now, today.

There's serious benefit in creating (even scheduling) ourselves alone time with God. Mark 3:34 (NKJV) says: 'When they were alone, he explained all things to his disciples.' Jesus made it a priority with his disciples, and used it for valuable, direction-bringing time. Let's do it too.

So what now? Know someone with a particular life-plan or dream? Ask to spend time with them, and encourage them on their journey, pray that they'll see God with them in each step. And ask them to encourage you, whether you have no idea of your future or are well into the master plan God has for you.

'Devote' is a strong word. It comes from 'de' = down and 'votum' = vow. So to be 'devoted' to something means to be dedicated to it by a vow. A powerful analogy. And Christian devotionals are intended to help us spend time with Jesus every day, and learn more of who he is. Devotionals are not daily horoscopes, though. Sometimes we get so caught up in getting our fix of Christian encouragement that we miss the point - that 'devotion' is an act towards the person of Jesus.

Five of the ten New Testament uses of the word 'proskartereo' for 'devoted' are about prayer (Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42, Acts 6:4, Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2). Being devoted requires action. Devotion makes patterns in our lives out of our love for God, returning him to first place in our lives, thanking him for his generosity to us.

In the Bible, God asked Abraham to choose who he was more 'devoted' to - his son Isaac or God - to make sure he kept the right focus. (God did spare Isaac's life, but the reminder was a big challenge to Abraham, and is to us, too). We need to keep looking to Jesus.

So what now? Devotion means total commitment. How can you give devote more attention and time to Jesus? As you focus more on him, he'll reveal his devotion to you.

Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to read the Bible in the original Hebrew? Or to be a theology professor, and know everything written about God throughout history? That knowledge can be a fantastic tool to help us get closer to God, if that's what we want it for. If we want it for any other reason, beware. Ecclesiastes 1:17 (NLT) tells of someone who ran after head-knowledge for its own sake: 'So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.'

A Christian isn't someone who knows the Bible inside out. It's someone who knows (and is getting to know) God personally. In God's word, he tells us, 'Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think' (Romans 12:2 CEV). God is not against us learning stuff, especially about him. But he's pretty intent on what we read affecting how we think and what we do.

And God set us the example here: Jesus is, literally, the 'Word' of God made flesh (If God has something to say to Creation, Jesus is it). God displayed amazing life-giving and life-saving truths in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

So what now? This coming week, use one or more of the words that describe God (loving, peaceful, kind, generous, just, compassionate) as you go about your life. Allow God's character and words to change your heart and mind.