I’ve heard it said time and time again by Christian leaders and pastors that we should try to “redeem our commute.” I use to think this was a pretty dumb phrase. I didn’t realize that my commute was corrupt and needed redemption. This was until I got a job with a new company, and now I have about a 40 minute round trip commute to work every day.
I can say without a doubt that commuting is straight from the pits of hell. My commute is filled with construction, multiple stop lights, freeways, horrible drivers, despicable roads, and countless other traps that Satan has sent his mentions to temp my heart to be filled with anger…ok…rage. My commute needs to be redeemed.
The problem is that every time someone mentions redeeming your commute they just tell you to pray or listen to sermons. It seems that is about as creative as they can get with the list of options. So I took it upon myself to come up with a little bit more robust list. So here are my 14 unique ways to redeem your commute.
1. Disciple Someone
Several of my ideas on here require you to have a hands free option for talking on the phone. You can go as high tech as Bluetooth or just use some headphones. By doing so, you can make your commute a more communal experience.
With that in mind, Jesus calls us to go and make disciples. This can be time consuming, but by using your commute time you’re able to call someone and help them grow in Jesus.
2. Memorize Scripture
We would all agree it is a good thing to memorize scripture. So why not dedicate your travel time to memorizing a verse of scripture a day.
3. Take a Class
If you have a smart phone or iPod/mp3 player, you can take whole college level courses through iTunes U. If you need a suggestion, I highly recommend Systematic Theology.
4. Be THAT Person
No not the picking his nose. Be the other guy. The one singing his guts out. The one that doesn’t care what anyone around them thinks. Get yourself some of your favorite worship music and sing your guts out.
5. Listen to Podcasts
While I still think it would be great to listen to sermon podcasts, there are a lot of other podcasts out there that can help you grow or encourage your spirit. Here are a few of my favorite podcasts currently.
– The Bad Christian Podcast (Language…like seriously lots of cuss words…but it is awesome)
6. Pray for Others
I’m not talking about just going through your prayer list. I’m talking about calling people and praying for them over the phone. We all know people who could probably use a little prayer. So call them and pray for them.
7. Meditate on a Verse
Take time to simple focus and reflect on a single verse. Think about the phrases. Think about the words. Think about their impact on your life. Go deeper than your simple read through.
8. Do Breath Prayers
I recently started doing breath prayers. It has been a game changer for me. These short repetitive prayers are easy to do while you are driving.
9. Encourage Someone
In the same way you can call someone and pray for them, you can also call and encourage them. I even recommend taking some time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to direct you. Ask the Holy Spirit who you should call and what you should say. Then do whatever the Spirit tells you to do.
10. “Read” the Bible
I say “read” because we all know it would be beyond stupid to pull out your leather back bible and start reading while going 75 mph. But you can listen to the Bible though. I recommend the Bible.is App to help you.
11. Pray with Someone
At one time I had trouble getting up and praying in the morning. So I asked a friend if he would pray for me. Instead he offered to pray with me. So we set an appointment to pray together via phone every morning You can do the same with your commute.
12. Dream
Take time to dream about your future. Take time to have a grander vision for your life. Share your thoughts with Jesus.
13. Open Your Eyes
It’s so easy to get tunnel vision when you are driving. You can lose sight of what is going on around you. Open your eyes and see what is going on around you. Pray for the people you see. Look for opportunities for ministry. Look to see what God is doing around you.
14. Do Nothing
Seriously. Turn off your radio. Turn off your phone. Just be silent. We are always trying to fill our time with something. Sometimes the most redemptive thing we can do is nothing.
The reality is that there is a lot of time during the day that we could use to better grow in our relationship with Jesus. So what are some of your ideas. Share your ideas in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter.
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