How to Have a Meaningful Quiet Time

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” ((Mark 1:35)

If you’ve spent much time in many Christian churches, you’ve probably heard the terms quiet time or devotions.  But what do these terms mean and are these activities important?  Does a quiet time require a particular method or routine?  Quiet time, or devotion time, refers to our daily appointment with God, when we shut out as much outside interference as possible. During our quiet time, we may sing praise songs, pray, read Scripture or daily devotions, meditate on God's Word, or simply be still and listen.

We don’t pray because God demands it as a prerequisite for salvation. We pray because we want to be united with God. People don’t speak to their spouse because of a contractual obligation, they do it because good communication is how they maintain a healthy relationship. The same is true for our relationship with God. 

Quiet time is a goal that sounds simple, but which meets with greater challenges than many physical endurance contests.  If we stop to think about it for a moment, we will recognize that we live in enemy-occupied territory.  Satan, our chief opponent, does not want us to spend quiet time with God. He knows that the more time we spend with God, the more we will accomplish God's goals on this earth. Satan does not want us to succeed.

But praise God, because His plan is greater!  Satan is no match for God, but he can trouble God's children, and he does.  The next time you are finding it difficult to get away from the noise and get alone with God, remember who is standing in your way.  Then remember who is greater!

Let’s look at some of the benefits of a regular quiet time.  It is way to deepen our relationship with Christ. And through that connection, we will personally grow and become enabled to help build His kingdom. But there are other important benefits to establishing a consistent time with God.

1) It builds self-discipline

In his letter to Titus, Paul laid out his expectations for the kinds of people he wanted to see leading churches. He told Titus that they should be, “...hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.” (Titus 1:8)

Like pushing ourselves to get up in the morning and go to the gym when we don’t feel like it, following through with quiet times builds self-discipline. We all have other things competing for our attention, but every time we say “No” to those other things, we build a disciplined character.

And as Paul tells Timothy, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)

2) It establishes a rhythm in our life

When God created the universe, He created certain patterns. Every time the earth travels around the

sun, we experience a year. That year is made up of seasons of birth, growth, harvest, and inactivity. This rhythm is incredibly important to all life.  He also established a religious cycle in the lives of the Israelites.

They were to work six days, and on the seventh day they were to stop from working and worship Him. On top of that, their year was full of consistent feasts and holy days.  A quiet time helps us to maintain our connection to Jesus by establishing a regular rhythm in our own life. We not only have a weekly rhythm of corporate worship, but a daily one where we sustain our own personal relationship with Jesus.

3) It keeps us more mindful of God’s presence

One of the biggest challenges of the Christian life is a tendency to go through our day and forget about God. While it’s not intentional, it’s easy to get so preoccupied with our daily lives that we lose sight of the fact that God is right there, present in every moment.

Christian author Patrick Morley says it this way, “Whenever a man tells me that he doesn’t feel very close to God, the first question I ask is, ‘Tell me about your devotional life.’ Often the problem is right there.”

When we have a stable connection to Jesus built upon our daily practice of spending time with Him, God’s presence becomes more central to our everyday behavior.  Jesus understood the importance of truly knowing the Father. The elements of how to spend quiet time with God are threefold: The place is free of distractions, use of prayer and thanksgiving, and use of God’s Word.

Here are some of the disciplines that could be part of your devotions and some ways you can incorporate them:

1) Bible reading

Obviously, you want Scripture to play a big part in your quiet time, but as you start this discipline, the focus should probably be more on reading than on study. Bible study is an important discipline, but it’s easy for study to lead you down rabbit trails and away from your ultimate focus—your relationship with Jesus.

As you’re reading, think about:

     a. For what can I offer praise or thanksgiving in today’s reading?
     b. Is there an example in this text that I should follow or a command I should obey?
     c. Is this text convicting me of sins that I need to repent from and seek God’s forgiveness?
     d. Are there promises in this reading that I need to claim?

2) Bible Journaling

 Having a journal handy or a wide-margin Bible like the NIV Journal the Word Bible can be a useful way to write down important thoughts you have during your Bible reading.

3) Meditation

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:15, 16)

Sometimes when you’re reading Scripture, you discover a truth that’s insightful and you just need to stop and process it. This is basically the Christian practice of meditation.  It’s not about emptying your mind, like some forms of eastern meditation encourage.  It’s really about focusing on God’s Word, and as you do, asking the Spirit to encourage, convict, and instruct you.

4) Prayer

Even though a lot of people struggle to feel like they’re getting it right, prayer should be an essential part of every quiet time.  And it becomes a lot easier when you quit fretting about how well you’re doing it.  It’s the key to maintaining that connection to the vine.

5) Praise

This opens your prayer with time to praise God for who he is and what he’s doing in your life. It’s also a great time to worship him for the praiseworthy things you identified during your Bible reading.

6) Confession

In John’s first letter, we’re reminded that “…if we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is where you want to ask for forgiveness for actions, behaviors, or attitudes that you’d like to see changed with God’s help.

7) Thanksgiving

A spirit of gratitude is essential for Christian maturity.  It helps us recognize the benefits and blessings in our life and limits us from constantly demanding more.  Knowing that you’re going to spend some time thanking God for His blessings during your quiet time makes you more mindful of them throughout your day.

8) Prayer Requests

It’s probably not a word you hear often, but supplication simply means “making a request.” This is the time you want to talk to God about all those things you told someone yesterday that you’d pray about. It’s where you make your appeals to God for His intervention in your life and in the lives of your loved ones.

No matter what tools and methods we use, this isn’t about making sure we get our daily devotions checked off. It’s about creating a life full of devotion, and the way we do that is by setting aside a regular time for prayer and Bible reading.  When we set time aside to truly connect with our creator, we’re working with Him to see that spiritual growth and transformation is happening in our lives. 

God longs to spend time with us. Is it asking too much that we devote daily time to Him?

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

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