To make quiet time the highlight of your day, you must relinquish any other things on your agenda that you feel are more important... Although it may feel hard at first, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks when you dedicate the first fruits of your time to God...
For many years, I had a consistent quiet time, during which I read my Bible for 20 minutes, prayed, and then went about my day. However, as the years passed, responsibilities came my way, making it increasingly challenging to set aside that time. I found myself skipping it altogether or spending only a few minutes, rushing to finish so I could start the day's activities. Getting to the gym or starting my workday with a lot of work to do becomes more important than my quiet time.
This typically happens if I'm feeling spiritually dry or distant from the Lord. Although I know in my head that it is essential to dedicate time and focus on the Lord, giving him the first fruits of my day, it becomes increasingly complex, especially when I feel like I'm in a spiritual rut. If I feel I'm going through the motions of the faith, it is difficult for me to focus on anything else.
The key to having a great quiet time is to make it the highlight of my day. This means that I must adjust how I spend my quiet time while doing the same things, such as reading the Bible and participating in prayer. Still, it's crucial for me to switch things up and try new ways to keep my quiet time exciting. (I even adjusted the time of day to maximize productivity during my quiet time.)
Here are four secrets to make quiet time the highlight of your day:
1. Switch Up Your Routine
It's essential to practice the disciplines that many people in the Bible practiced, such as Daniel, who fasted three times a day. Elijah practiced solitude when he climbed up the mountain to hear from God. Paul understood that it was not only important to read the Word but also to write down his thoughts and reflections to share with others.
The point of switching up your routine is not to achieve some sort of spiritual eliteness or score brownie points with the Lord. Rather, it is a way to keep things fresh. I don't feel as if I'm getting into a spiritual rut when my Bible reading and prayer time aren't monotonous. Spiritual routines can be easily compromised if we're not careful. However, practicing things daily in a different format helps us experience God in new ways and avoid feeling guilty if we aren't perfectly consistent.
2. Abandon the Agenda
To make quiet time the highlight of your day, you must relinquish any other things on your agenda that you feel are more important. For example, dedicating time to God throughout the day should take priority over countless hours spent glued to your phone or a television show. It is like tithing. Although it may feel hard at first, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks when you dedicate the first fruits of your time to God by setting aside specific time for him each day.
I discovered that when I do this, I'm more focused during my day, and it's almost as if time gets multiplied in the process because I can accomplish more things with greater ease when I dedicate my day to the Lord. It is imperative that I surrender control of my day, giving it over to the Lord.
When I ask God what he wants in my day, I'm sometimes interrupted by divine callings, showing how I can serve him and impact others. At the end of my life, it won't be about how many degrees I have or how much money is in my bank account. Rather, my worth will be measured in my legacy, in the people whose lives have been directly impacted by the Word of the Lord because of my obedience to Christ.
3. Start at a Different Time
Although I’m most productive during morning devotional time, it can be challenging for me to concentrate and connect. It's easier for me to hear from God when my mind is fully attentive to him. Sometimes the best time to do my quiet time is at the end of the day or even during the afternoon when I need a break. One of my weaknesses is that I tend to work straight through lunch to ensure a fully accomplished day. However, if I don't take proper rest throughout the day, I find myself feeling burnt out by the end of the week. I need to make more time to enjoy lunch and have some time off during that break. During lunch, I can read my Bible for 20 minutes or pray.
Discover what time works best and stick with it. Switching it each day will increase the chances that you may forget and put it off altogether. Figure out your rhythms and stick to them. Play to your strengths. If you're a morning person, stick to your routine. If you're not, find a way to fit your reading and Bible study into your daily schedule, whether during the day or at night. Whatever time you choose, it's essential. The important thing is that you make the time to prioritize the Lord.
4. Find a Friend
Two are better than one, it says in Ecclesiastes. Doing a quiet time is no different. Find a Bible study partner with whom you can study the Word together. If you find yourself struggling to do things alone, consider finding a person who you know has wise counsel and will help encourage you in your walk. Or study the Word together. Encourage each other to practice silence and solitude at a different time, other than your busiest time of day. It may take more time and effort to get together with someone, but the benefits are great.
Be sure it's a friend that you know will help encourage you in your walk and push you forward. Many people are not quite where they need to be in their spiritual growth, and it will be detrimental to you to get together with someone less spiritually mature than you. They will not be able to push you forward in your walk. Discern and discover the person that God might have for you. Pray and ask God to reveal who that person may be. You may be surprised to find out who he introduces you to, and as you get to know that person, you may discover that they are exactly who you need in this season.
A necessary component of every good spiritual walk is having a quiet time, but a quiet time doesn't have to be boring or feel like it's a chore. That can be the highlight of your day if you choose to switch up your routine, find someone who will help push you to wise counsel, change the date and time at which you do it, and try different disciplines. Soon, you may find you can rarely go without that special quiet time!
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