All relationships require time and effort if they are to grow and thrive. We know this intuitively when it comes to family and friends, but what about your relationship with God?
Just like any other relationship, when we spend time with the Lord we experience deeper connection, understanding, and love. And one of the most amazing things about the Christian faith is, God wants a personal relationship with you! He is available to each of us, 24/7, ready to connect. He cares about how you’re feeling, and He values every minute that you’re willing to dedicate to Him.
Have you ever really considered how amazing that really is? The God of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Creator who is the source of every good and perfect thing…wants to connect personally with you.
When you dedicate a part of your day to the Lord, you can expect to see big things happen. A deeper kind of faith, a more personal sort of relationship, and a more centered way of life—to name a few! When you choose to take the time to pour into your relationship with God, you’ll be blessed in ways you can’t imagine.
So what is a “Quiet Time” and how do you go about doing it?
First of all, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to spend time with God. How you connect with Him is a personal choice and your relationship with the Lord will look different from everyone else’s—just like your relationships with people in your life vary from person to person and from season to season.
With this in mind, finding the best way to spend quiet time with God will be something that you’ll develop as you go…but here are some suggestions to get you started!
1. Be consistent.
A daily quiet time—even if it’s short—is an important way to stay centered, and you’ll never regret taking the time to focus on God. Setting up a routine is a good idea so that it becomes a natural part of your day that you can anticipate and look forward to. New habits take a while to establish, but once they are set they tend to last. Make a commitment to start a quiet-time habit and standby if for at least 21 days, and see what happens!
2. Consider a morning quiet time.
Although it won’t work for everyone, starting your day off with quiet time can be very helpful. A morning quiet time allows you to focus on God before all of the day’s activities start to close in, and beginning each day in prayer and scripture really helps to keep you on track. Having a quiet time in the morning lets you pray through your day before it starts, and helps set the pace and tone for the rest of the day.
3. Be in the Word.
God has given us an amazing gift in the form of the Bible! This book is full of God’s heart—stories, poems, history, and advice that is just as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago, all ready for you to read and consider. It’s one of the most important ways we can build a relationship with God, and you’ll find that He speaks right to you from the pages of your Bible.
Grab a highlighter, a notebook, and your favorite pen and dig in—make notes as you go and ask God to make things clear to you as you read. Stopping to pray and talk to God as you go helps you understand and appreciate what you are reading, and you can highlight or write down verses that you might want to memorize or share with someone.
4. Pray, pray, pray.
We get to know each other through conversation, and talking to God is a vital part of faith. Tell Him your thoughts, your worries, your heartache. Thank Him for the good things in your life. Praise Him for the beauty in the world. Ask Him the questions that are on your mind. God is interested in the details and the small trials and triumphs that you face daily, as well as in the big things!
Sometimes, we can feel like we’re wasting God’s time when we pray about small things. But God’s time is limitless! There’s no possible way you can take up too much of His time because He owns time. You won’t bore him, He won’t get distracted, and He won’t stop listening.
As you pray, don’t forget to listen! You might not feel the earth shake and hear a voice from above, but God has ways of speaking to you. Quiet your heart, open your ears and eyes and give Him a chance to respond. You might be surprised by the creative ways His voice can reach you!
5. Meet God in a way that makes sense to you.
Starting the morning with a cup of coffee and your Bible might be a great way to spend your quiet time—after all, many people meet to talk over coffee and many relationships are deepened that way! Or, you might want to take a walk and pray. Maybe most days you spend your quiet time at home, but once a week you sit outside and enjoy some fresh air instead.
Just like any other relationship, quiet time is strengthened by shared routine but also benefits from shaking things up every now and then. If you feel like things are getting a little too predictable, don’t be afraid to try something new.
Are you ready to grow closer to God through quiet time? Make a commitment today to get started, and get ready to see how God meets you!
– Christ Revealed