While I was in high school, I was introduced to the concept of “quiet time”. Honestly I had no idea what it was but somehow I showed interest. I was told that my quiet time was a daily routine, something I should do religiously. I did my best but I failed. Those 15 minutes was the most boring time of my life, it felt like torture. Need not say I didn’t continue. Fast forward to today’ I’m sitting at my desk drafting a post on quiet time, how amazing! Anyways the issue I had was I wasn’t properly taught the true meaning of quiet time and all the benefits attached. I wasn’t shown how to have an effective quiet time, one that I will actually enjoy. It took me awhile to understand the whole concept so today I’m here to teach you all I wasn’t taught. So let’s dive in.
Quiet time,what’s that?
Quiet time is time we allocate to spend with God. It’s a one on one audience with the king who also happens to be our Father(Abba). It’s the time of the day when we shut out every form of distraction and do just one thing, focus on God.
What do we do during our quiet time?
The quiet time consists of praying, reading the bible and most importantly listening. The duration doesn’t really matter. It can be as short as 5 minutes or as long as five hours. What matters is spending time daily with your father.
Luke 5:16 (ESV): But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Mark 1:35 (ESV): And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Why Is it important to spend time with God?
Time spent with God is not wasted time. The benefits of spending time with God are numerous but here are a few:
- It helps you draw closer to God
- It’s a time of transformation and renewal of the mind(Romans 12:1)
- Your quiet time is a time for koinonia(fellowship)
- The more intentional and deliberate time spent with Him, the more of Him you become
- Starting your day with God enables you to take charge of the rest of the day
- It’s a place you go to draw strength and consolation
- It’s a place where you get to know Jesus personally and learn to daily walk with him
- You grow spiritually and mature in your faith
Related Post: The Quiet-Time: What, Why, and How How to Reinvigorate Your Quiet Time
6 Ways To Have an effective quiet time.
1. One way to enjoy your quiet time is to find the right time and place:
What time of the day are you must alert and have little or no distractions? For many, the early hours of the morning are the best while for others it’s late at night. Whatever works best for is fine. The most important thing is you are intentional and deliberate about the time you pick. You also have to make sure you are consistent with it. Consistency will enable you to develop a habit and a routine.
There is no right or wrong location. You can have your quiet time in the comfort of your home or you can take a walk through nature. Choose a place that doesn’t have distractions because when you are distracted your attention is divided.
2. Build a structure that works best for you
What I mean by building a structure is developing a routine, a rhyme that you can flow with. We all are at different stages in life, some are busy mums while the likes of me are college students. Our schedule differs so don’t copy and paste someone else quiet time routine and try to force it into yours. Your quiet time is not just another activity on your to-do list, it’s not just another religious ritual. It’s a time of fellowship, one where you savour every second spent with God leaving you refreshed and not overwhelmed.
So have a routine, a plan to help you. This could be having a preplanned time, a bible study plan, a list of prayer points, a playlist with your favourite worship song etc. This will enable you to come into the presence of God well-prepared and ready to dine with the king. Although having a routine is helpful be flexible and willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Eg: wake up at 4 am>>pray>>read Romans 1>>write out my thoughts>>pray>>end.
3. Have The right Resources and mindset
The human man is powerful! Changing your perspective will enable you to enjoy your quiet time. Don’t see it as another Christian activity. See it as a date with your lover, the only man that willing laid down his life for you. This little shift in perspective has a great effect.
Next, you will need the right resources. Use a bible and translation you can understand. A good bible like a study bible is such a lifesaver.
4. Get Creative
The father has gifted each of us with various gifts. Some of us are artistic while others are musical. Either way, use the gifts given to you to draw closer to Him. What I mean by this is to use creative methods to spice up your quiet time. If you are the type that needs music to quiet your soul, play some worship songs in the background. Maybe you are the type that loves nature, choose your spot and spend time with your father. Do you love writing? Cool, write letters to him during your quiet time. Alternatively, you can practise journaling. Be free to get creative.
5. Involve the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is not for decoration. He is with you to enable and empower you to live out your faith, draw closer to God and be the Christian you are. If you are struggling with spending time with God, you are finding yourself battling with consistency or whenever you try you get bored, ask him to help you. How? By praying! This brings me to my next point, to enjoy your quiet time always start with a prayer.
6. Listen
Do you feel like your quiet time is boring? Probably you are the only one doing the talking. How about taking a step back and just listening. Don’t say anything, allow God to speak. At first, it may look impossible, the mind is in a constant state of wandering but you can pick a verse that talks about God’s greatness and just ponder on this verse.
Conclusion:
You are not less of a Christian if you are finding it difficult to have a 24/7 quiet time record. Your salvation is not based on how consistently you show up for your quiet time, you are saved by grace and not by work(Ephesians 2:8). However like I already mentioned, maintaining a consistent quiet time routine is a great way to develop a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus.
Do you have a quiet time routine? If yes, how do you make it enjoyable? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Feel free to share this post with your loved ones.
God bless you.
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