5 Practical Ways to Sit at Jesus’ Feet
Shadows of maple leaves move like water on the lawn. Lost in their dance, I step out of my cares for just a moment, and my heart feels light for the first time in weeks. More than anything, I’m desperate for space to step back, breathe, and sit at Jesus’ feet.
I wish I were better at going with the flow and living with open hands, willing and eager to receive whatever happens to cross my path.
Unfortunately, every time we hit a bump in the road, I call it crisis mode and come unhinged.
I’m well aware of Jesus’ words: “In this world, you will have trouble . . .” (John 16:33). Yet when trouble comes, I wholeheartedly believe it’s up to me to fix everything that feels broken in the world around me.
I sat in the sunshine and talked about this with God today, and I asked him what he thought about it.
A verse came to mind immediately: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
How to Sit at Jesus’ Feet
We all know Mary’s better choice was her decision to sit at Jesus’ feet, but what does this look like in our everyday lives?
Let’s talk about practical ways to apply this teaching to our lives. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you sit at Jesus’ feet.
1. We create space to rest in his presence.
A few years ago, I read a book that challenged me to spend several minutes each morning sitting with God and doing nothing other than resting in the awareness that he enjoys me.
Over time, this practice has become deeply grounding for me.
I don’t force myself to perform in any way or do anything during this time. I rest with God while doing nothing else. It doesn’t feel very productive, but not being productive is the whole point.
Most of us face the temptation to find our identities through what we can produce and achieve. Time spent in stillness with God pulls us out of the frenetic pace of our lives and creates space for him to remind us of the anchor of our identities: his unconditional love for us.
2. We connect with Jesus through worship.
Worship lifts our eyes away from our temporal struggles and helps us focus on God’s power, goodness, faithfulness, and provision. Most of us know how it feels to be “stuck inside our heads,” ruminating over concerns, or letting feelings of defeat debilitate us.
At times, breaking free from these mental blocks feels impossible. When this happens, we desperately need to connect with God by fighting the battle in the spiritual realm—above human reasoning.
Worship is warfare. It pulls us above worldly concerns and fixes our eyes on the greatness of our God. This is where breakthrough happens.
If this resonates with you today, here’s a playlist to get you started.
3. We sit at Jesus’ feet when we ask him to guide us.
Have you ever felt entirely overwhelmed by the number of decisions you need to make each day?
I struggle with change. It’s not so much that I don’t like variety in life. I struggle because change forces me to make decisions.
Whether I’m buying a new vehicle, launching a new career, searching for a different insurance company, or rearranging furniture, I don’t love an overabundance of unmade decisions.
Slowly, I’m learning to let Jesus help me make decisions. Even if it’s something as small as how to rearrange a bedroom, I’m learning to lean into him and ask for wisdom.
When we ask Jesus to help us make decisions, we show him we trust him. We come to know him more deeply. This is a powerful way to sit at Jesus’ feet.
4. We sit at Jesus’ feet when we shift from control to stewardship.
Here’s what I mean: I can white-knuckle through my days, try to keep all my ducks in a row, and make sure no part of my life is in disarray. Or I can remember that my life and my loved ones’ lives don’t really belong to me.
Jesus gave me my kids, my house, my job, my passions, my pets, and my relationships. He gave me this life. He’s not asking me to keep a tight grip on it all. Instead, he wants me to steward these gifts.
A steward takes care of that which belongs to someone else. When I remember that these precious children, relationships, and possessions aren’t really “mine,” I am set free. I am set free to steward them as well as I can and leave the outcomes to Jesus.
How would your life be different if you stopped trying to control everything entrusted to you and simply aimed to steward it?
How would your life be different if you stopped trying to control everything entrusted to you and simply aimed to steward it? #lovingGod #Jesus Share on X
5. We sit at Jesus’ feet when we enjoy his presence.
Sitting in the sunshine, I put the writing work aside for a few minutes today. I closed my eyes and asked him to pour his love over me. Robins chattered from the poplar tree, and a hawk cried out from high above. The moment was serene, and I fully enjoyed Jesus’ presence with me.
What if we learned to carry this kind of mindfulness into the stressful parts of our days?
We might learn to pause in the middle of our workdays and thank Jesus for his gifts. We might start to see our callings as gifts and not burdens. Make it a habit to enjoy Jesus’ presence, and you will sit at his feet while you work.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 7, 12, and 16, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. I also recently released a teen devotional called Anchored, designed to help teens learn key biblical narratives and apply them to their lives. You can find these books here or read more below. 
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Devotions for Boys by Boys
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
These Books Are Free on Kindle Unlimited: God Wants to Heal, Restore, and Refresh You
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. He also wants to help you establish a rhythm of meeting with him daily as you trust him with the hard parts of your life. Click here to explore two books that will guide you: Be Still and Trust and Lean Into Grace. They are free on the Kindle Unlimited program and for sale in print.
Download Your Free Devotional Here
Set Free: Let God Do What You Cannot explores ten realms in which most of us need God to work in our lives and bring deliverance. We’ll talk about finding freedom from fear, worry, insecurity, bad habits, emotional pain, and more. This short online devotional will bless you as you let God accomplish what you’ve been unable to achieve through willpower. Get your download for free with promo code GRACE or for a donation of 3.99 here. Thank you. This small gift helps keep this ministry running.
I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
