Last week I wrote a short, two part series on How to Become a Morning Person and the Benefits of Becoming a Morning Person. One of the greatest benefits for me to get up early is having time alone with God – often called a “quiet time”.
Throughout my life I have heard things like,
“Have you had your quiet time today?”,
“I didn’t get my quiet time in.”,
“I need to do my quiet time now.”,
“What are you doing for your quiet time?”
So what is “quiet time”?
When people ask me why I get up so early my first response is to drop my head and mumble, “to have my quiet time.”
“What? What did you say? Quiet time? What’s quiet time?”
Quiet time literally means “uninterrupted time focused on God in prayer and in His Word”. However, when I use the phrase “quiet time” it sounds more like some mystical event that I’m trying to keep a secret!
My quiet time should more appropriately be called my loud time! This is the time I spend being loud – talking, laughing, crying, arguing, begging, pouting, and praising – with God. It is also God’s time to be loud – teaching, showing, directing, perfecting, and loving – with me.
Quiet time does not need to be “quiet” at all, and it does not need any other expectations tied to it. When actions become linked to expectations, then they no longer flow from love. God wants us to love Him, not to be obligated to Him.
My time with God is often, but not always:
- early in the morning
- a time of prayer for my family and a few people I scheduled for that day
- See more about my IPhone helps me organize this here.
- reading one chapter from one book from the Bible
- I alternate from reading a book from the Old Testament and then a book from the New Testament, but I go through each book entirely reading only one chapter a day. For example, right now I’m reading 2 Samuel. There are 24 chapters in 2 Samuel, so for 24 days I will read 2 Samuel, and then I will begin reading a book from the New Testament.
- maybe time for journaling about what the chapter I read was about or taught me
No longer do I use the term “quiet time”. What do I do in the mornings? I spend time with God. Does that mean that the rest of my day is not with God? Absolutely not! I talk to God throughout the day and sometimes read scripture online or blogs, etc., but my morning time is just focused time in His Word and in prayer. The more I set aside time alone with Him, the easier it becomes to talk to Him throughout the day. He becomes more of the friend that He is.
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
What does “quiet time” mean for you?
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