Start With Jesus: Creating a Slow Sunday Morning With God

There is something different about Sunday mornings.

The world seems to invite us to slow down just a little. The sunlight feels softer. The coffee tastes better when we aren't drinking it while searching for our keys. And somewhere between waking up and beginning the day, there is an opportunity to turn our attention toward the One who gave us the day in the first place.

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24

A slow Sunday morning with God doesn't have to be elaborate.

You don't need the perfect Bible, the prettiest journal, fresh flowers, or a peaceful house where absolutely nobody needs anything from you. Although that last one would be lovely. 😊

You simply need a willing heart.

Here are a few gentle ways to make Sunday morning a time to rest, worship, pray, and start with Jesus.

Before Anything Else, Be Still

We are so accustomed to reaching for something the moment we wake up.

Our phones.
Our schedules.
Our messages.
Our mental to-do lists.

Before inviting all of that noise into your morning, give yourself a few quiet moments.

Sit somewhere comfortable and simply acknowledge God's presence.

You don't have to say much.

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for another day.

That's enough to begin.

Psalm 46:10 reminds us:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Stillness isn't doing nothing. Sometimes stillness is intentionally making room to remember who God is before everything else begins competing for our attention.

Read Your Bible Slowly

Sunday morning is a beautiful time to read Scripture without rushing to finish a certain number of chapters.

Choose a Psalm.

Return to a favorite passage.

Read the Scripture your pastor will be teaching that morning.

Or simply continue wherever you left off.

But instead of asking, “How much can I read?” try asking:

“What does God want me to notice?”

When a verse stands out, stop there.

Read it again.

Write it down.

Think about what it reveals about God's character or what it might mean for the season you're walking through.

Bible reading isn't a race.

Sometimes one verse carried in your heart all week can be more meaningful than several chapters you barely remember reading.

Create a Sunday Worship Playlist

Music has a beautiful way of turning our hearts toward God.

Create a playlist specifically for your Sunday mornings filled with worship songs that remind you of His goodness.

You might include songs about:

God's faithfulness, His love, surrender, gratitude, trusting Him, or simply praising Him for who He is.

Play your worship music while you're making breakfast, getting dressed, doing your hair, or driving to church.

And every once in a while, don't just let worship become background music.

Stop.

Listen.

Sing.

Let the words become your prayer.

Make a Simple Prayer List

Sunday is also a wonderful opportunity to pray beyond our immediate needs.

Take out your journal and write a simple prayer list.

You might pray for your family, your church, friends who are struggling, someone's health, financial provision, wisdom for a decision, someone who doesn't know Christ, or anything God has placed on your heart.

Then leave a little room on the page.

Because weeks or months from now, you may return to that prayer and realize:

God answered it.

Maybe not exactly how you expected.

Maybe not when you expected.

But keeping a prayer journal allows us to look backward and recognize God's faithfulness in ways we might otherwise forget.

Practice a Little Sunday Gratitude

Before thinking about everything you need from God, spend a few minutes remembering what He has already done.

Write down five things you're thankful for.

They don't need to be impressive.

Maybe you're thankful for...

A quiet cup of coffee.

Your family.

A friend who checked on you.

A prayer God answered.

A beautiful morning.

A difficult season He carried you through.

Or simply another day.

Gratitude helps us notice the ordinary places where God's goodness has been present all along.

As 1 Corinthians 16:14 reminds us:

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

Gratitude has a beautiful way of softening our hearts so that we can carry that love into the rest of our day.

Notice the Beauty God Has Already Placed Around You

Open the curtains.

Sit near a window.

Step outside.

Notice the sunlight coming through the trees.

Listen to the birds.

Look at the flowers.

Feel the morning air.

We can become so busy looking for extraordinary evidence of God's presence that we overlook the ordinary beauty He has placed right in front of us.

Creation continually points us back to the Creator.

You don't always need another devotional, podcast, sermon, or study.

Sometimes you simply need to notice.

Take Your Time

A slow Sunday doesn't necessarily mean moving slowly all day.

It means refusing to begin the day already feeling behind.

Drink your coffee while it's still warm.

Enjoy breakfast.

Read another verse.

Write another prayer.

Sit quietly for another minute.

There is something deeply peaceful about remembering:

I don't have to rush through every moment God gives me.

Rest can be worship too.

Carry Sunday Into Monday

Perhaps the most important part of a slow Sunday morning is what happens afterward.

Sunday shouldn't be the only day we make room for Jesus.

The quiet time we spend with Him prepares our hearts for Monday morning meetings, Tuesday responsibilities, Wednesday worries, Thursday exhaustion, and everything else the week may bring.

The goal isn't simply to create a beautiful Sunday ritual.

It's to build a life that continually returns to God.

That might mean reading one Psalm before work.

Praying while driving.

Playing worship music while making dinner.

Keeping Scripture beside your desk.

Whispering a prayer when anxiety starts creeping in.

Or ending the evening by naming three things you're thankful for.

Small rhythms of faith matter.

Start With Jesus

Maybe your Sunday morning won't look anything like a cozy Pinterest moodboard.

Maybe someone will spill something.

Maybe you'll oversleep.

Maybe you'll have ten quiet minutes instead of an hour.

That's okay.

Start with Jesus anyway.

Be still.

Pray.

Read your Bible.

Trust His timing.

Rest in Him.

And remember that the beauty of spending time with God isn't found in creating the perfect atmosphere.

It's found in Who meets you there.

So this Sunday, before rushing into everything waiting for you, give yourself permission to slow down.

Pour something warm.

Open His Word.

Turn on a worship song.

Write down your prayers.

Thank Him for another morning.

And begin again with Jesus.

A Gentle Sunday Reminder

You don't have to have the entire week figured out today.

God already knows what's waiting for you tomorrow.

For now, be present with Him.

Rest in His goodness.

Receive His grace.

And let Sunday remind your heart that the Lord is your strength, your song, and your faithful companion for whatever the new week may bring. 🌿