What does quiet time look like for you?
Being raised in a Christian home, I remember hearing the term “quiet time” since I was a little girl. I loved how it sounded. Like a special invitation to spend time with Jesus – just the two of us.
Now and then, if I woke up early, I’d hear my dad praying as I made my way to the bathroom. Peeking through his bedroom door, I’d see him kneeling beside his bed having his devotions.
Though I didn’t fully understand what he was doing, I liked it. Especially when I heard him call out my name to the Lord.
Unfortunately, as I grew up, the invitation I’d sensed as a little girl grew into a religious duty – something I had to do in order to be a good Christian. Without realizing it, a list of requirements and expectations grew up around the idea of a daily time with the Lord.
But instead of drawing me closer to Jesus, the self-imposed rules actually stood in the way – as they always do. For it isn’t our work-based Christianity that allows us to come to God. It’s the work Jesus did on the cross (Hebrews 4:16).
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Be Still My Soul
What’s holding you back from having a regular quiet time? Perhaps, the very term feels loaded with shoulds and ought tos. Another thing to add to the endless checklist of your life. Maybe later, you think, when life slows down.
I’d like to share some good news. God never intended your relationship with Him to be a duty – instead, He wants it to be a delight. We need to peel away the myths and unrealistic expectations of our flesh that the enemy uses to keep us from experiencing the joy of knowing Jesus and being known by Him.
Myth Buster #1: A quiet time doesn’t have to be long
To be honest, this idea tripped me up for most of my young adult Christianity. In my mind, I was fairly certain that a quiet time should involve an hour in prayer, an hour in Bible study, and then at least another hour in door-to-door witnessing. (Okay, so I may be exaggerating, but not by much.)
Unfortunately, my surplus of good intentions constantly ran into my lack of discipline. I’d start out with strong resolve (especially each January 1st), but it wouldn’t be long before I’d throw my hands up in despair and decide to try again next year. Being a frustrated perfectionist, if I couldn’t do it “all” I’d default to nothing.
Oh, I still loved Jesus. I still talked with Him and He with me. But a dedicated quiet time each day? It just didn’t seem possible.
Thankfully, the Lord kept reassuring me of His love and wooing me by His Spirit. “It isn’t the amount of time you spend that matters,” He’d whisper gently. “It’s the fact that you take the time to invite me into your life.”
Start small, but begin. It’s a phrase that helped me begin to carve out time for devotions and advice I still turn to today. Because there are still times that I forget to do devotions. Rather than beating myself up for my lapse, I simply run to Jesus and begin again.
Pastor Greg Laurie says…
“Spiritual hunger is the opposite of natural hunger. When you’re hungry in the natural, you eat and are satisfied. But with spiritual hunger, it isn’t until you begin eating that you discover how hungry you really are!”
So here’s what I suggest for those of you who’ve never had a daily quiet time…rather than setting yourself up to fail, start small but begin.
- Set aside five minutes to open your Bible and meditate on a short portion of scripture
- Talk to God about it
- Present your needs to Him
- Invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you throughout the day
Guess what? You’ve just had a quiet time! Now, tomorrow, do it again. As your spiritual appetite increases, you’ll find yourself setting aside ten minutes, then twenty. And that time will continue to grow.
Because when you “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), you’ll want more and more time with Jesus. Which is wonderful – because He longs for time with you.
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Stilling Your Heart in the Chaos
Many women wonder how to find time in the middle of diapers and carpools, not to mention full-time careers. “How can I have a quiet time?” a friend asked me not too long ago. “There’s nothing quiet about my life!”
Don’t let the noisiness of life be a hindrance. Instead of escaping busyness and responsibilities, Jesus wants to join you there.
Myth Buster #2: A quiet time doesn’t necessarily have to be quiet.
Though my goal is to have a daily sit-down time with the Lord, I’m learning that there are creative ways we can connect with the Lord all day long. Consider these:
· Turn on worship music as you clean – sing, pray in the Spirit, practice memory verses. “Do everything…as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23 NKJV)
· Listen to the Bible while driving – there are great apps available
· Pray while you exercise – expand your faith muscle!
· Take God out for coffee – do your Bible study at a restaurant or coffee shop
· Go for a walk with Jesus – pray for people, praise God for the beauty around you
· Do quiet time with your kids – teach them how to do it
Don’t be afraid to be creative in the way you meet with God. Welcome Him into the ordinary moments, and the mundane will become holy. Give the Holy Spirit permission to interrupt, then go where He leads. Do life with Jesus – it just doesn’t get better than that!
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Be Still in the Morning – Be Still at Night
Another self-imposed expectation I had to get rid of before I could move forward in my walk with the Lord was the idea that truly godly people met Jesus early in the day.
Myth Buster #3: A quiet time doesn’t have to be first thing in the morning
I’ve always had a strong aversion to getting up when it’s dark. I admire women who get up at 4:00 am, spend an hour in the Word then an hour exercising before fixing breakfast for their children (all the while, weaving flax, selling land, and providing for handmaids like the Proverbs 31 woman evidently did!)
It was a wonderful relief to discover that Jesus was more than willing to adjust His schedule in order to meet – no matter the time of day or night.
Which means, you’re free to find a time of day that works best for you. If one time no longer works well with my schedule, I’m not afraid to try another. Because I don’t want to miss the invitation. I need time with Jesus.
“You’re my place of quiet retreat,” David writes in Psalm 119:114 (MSG), “I wait for your Word to renew me.”
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Friendship with Jesus
Whether you’re new to the idea of quiet time or have had regular devotions for years, remember…a quiet time isn’t about performing for God. It’s about being with God. And oh, how we need it.
Throughout the Psalms, a little word reoccurs frequently – Selah. Seventy-one times this word serves as a break, a pause. It means, stop and think. Weigh what you’ve read.
There’s no specific length of time attached to the pause. Instead, it seems left up to the individual. Selah. It’s a call to rest and reflect. To be still and breathe deep. To settle into the moment and remain a while.
To me, this selah thought seems to be at the heart of quiet time.
“Stop doing, Joanna. Sit at my feet,” I hear the Lord whisper. “Lay aside your busyness and just belong to Me. I want to be your place of quiet retreat.”
What a beautiful invitation! It’s everything I’ve longed for. Everything I need.
An Invitation to More
If you’re longing for a more intimate relationship with the Lord, I’m excited to tell you about my new e-course:
How to Have a Mary Heart
8 Steps to a Deeper & Sweeter Friendship with God
In this course, I share the step-by-baby-step tools that have helped me grow a more consistent and meaningful quiet time with Jesus.
It’s designed to be accessible for those new to daily devotions yet satisfying for those who already enjoy daily devotions.
Learn more about the course that starts JANUARY 1st and SIGN UP by clicking this button:
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You’ll receive a welcome email with a WORKBOOK link. Print the workbook (both sides) and place in a binder so you’re ready to start when the first step email comes the first day of 2017.
What a great way to start the New Year!
I’d love to hear from you…What does your quiet time look like?