How to have a Quiet Time

Christians talk a lot about their quiet time.

They spend minutes, hours, days, years talking with an invisible God and listening to Him.

Those who do it regularly seem to grow deeper roots of faith. Those who get the habit and stick with it will tell you that it is the difference between a weak Christian life and a powerful one.

I’ve found over the years that the more people talk about something the higher the likelihood that no one knows exactly what it means.

Maybe you’re that person who has heard Christians talk incessantly about this magical time and you’ve just gotten in the habit of smiling and nodding along but have absolutely no idea how or what it is. Or maybe you used to have regular quiet times, but somewhere over the years you’ve lost some ground and you can barely remember where to start again.

This post is for you. I’m about to share 5 basic tips on how to have an effective Quiet Time with the Lord.

1. Get a Place. By far one of the most important element of spending time with God is to schedule it. You’ve got to set the time and the place. I like to use the same location because I’m a creature of habit, and because it minimizes distractions. I need at least 30 minutes to make the time effective. If you have to work every morning at 8, I suggest you count exactly how long you need to get ready, and set your alarm clock at least 30 minutes earlier.

2. Get Prepared. There are a couple of things you absolutely have to do in order to maximize your time with the Lord. Turn off the computer. Put your phone far far away from you. Trust me on this one. Satan will use any and every possible way to cut into your time with the Lord. Make no provisions for him. Be prepared. Personally, I also think a cup of coffee is a biblical part of every believer’s quiet time, but that may just be me. You will also need a Bible, a devotional, and a journal. Now pray. That’s part of getting prepared to meet with God.

3. Get a Plan. One of the hardest parts of developing a quiet time is figuring out exactly what to read and what to do for the 30 minute meeting with God. I like to keep it basic. I use a read through your Bible through a year plan. My dad likes the daily bread. Our church uses the our journey devotional. Start easy and build up. I have many friends who prefer to chew on 1 verse for the entire 30 minute meeting with God. Whatever you do, just make sure you have a plan and try to stick to it. Otherwise your bed will be more and more appealing by the minute.

4. Get a Pen. I mentioned a journal earlier. You’re about to use it. Picture the scene with me: the alarm rings. You make your coffee and find your place after stowing your electronics far far away. You pray and ask God to speak to you during your time with him. You ask him to help you focus and change. Now you open the Bible and read. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself as you read:

• Is there a sin I need to confess?
• Is there a promise I can claim?
• Is there an example I can follow?
• Is there an action God wants me to take?
• Is there knowledge I need to grow in?

Now get your journal out and start writing. You can also use your journal to write down prayers. Some of my friends use a separate prayer journal, but I can easily feel overwhelmed, so I stick to just one journal!

5. Get Pumped. Are you pumped yet? Listen there is nothing that will get your day off to a great start like spending time with your Father in heaven who is in control of your whole life!  God loves spending time with us. He longs to have us pour our hearts out to him. He wanted it so much He let His Son to die on the cross for us to give us free access to Himself. Can you imagine showing up to heaven and having to tell God that you were too busy to talk to Him?

The day I started Medical School I committed to spending time with the Lord each day to help me survive. I not only survived. I fell in love with Jesus Christ in the process too! Nothing has had as big an impact on my life as spending regular time with the Lord daily listening to Him speak to me through His word, and telling Him what’s going on in my life.

I hope you can say the same. If you have other helpful hints on having a great quiet time, share your thoughts in the comments section!

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