If you’re unsure what a quiet time is, check out my Quite Time post. Once you have an idea of what we’re talking about, hopefully, you want to start a quiet time yourself, but how do you start? Let’s look at some steps you can take to set yourself up for success in creating a habit that will continue through the rest of your life.
Step 1: Look at your calendar and schedule a time and place
The thing about quiet time is that it takes time. You can’t rush through time meant to refocus yourself on God. Rushing doesn’t help the noise in your head to go silent, even if you have made the world around you quiet. So take time and realistically look at your calendar to find the time you can dedicate to being quiet on the inside and out, even if it’s just five minutes. Claiming time as quiet time rather than just fitting it in helps you focus and not wonder what else you could be doing with this time, because you’re doing exactly what you set this time aside for.
This may mean you have to say “no” to something, go somewhere, coordinate with a spouse to take the kids, or spend your lunch break differently. It may take time, but finding at least 5 minutes each week is a good place to start. You can build that up as your life and schedule realign to prioritize this time. You may even find yourself longing for this time of solitude with God. But a good place to start is with something you can accomplish and increase from there.
Step 2: Acknowledge it will feel awkward at first
Some of us do not know what it’s like to sit in silence. It sounds and feels awkward and intimidating in a world of endless noise. But the noise we have become accustomed to becomes a distraction that drowns out the voice of God. I think there is a timeless truth God wanted to remind us of when he came to Elijah in the whisper of the wind. And if we do not quiet the world and our mind, we might miss it.
All that to say, if the quiet itself is a distraction to you, in the beginning, I would recommend trying nature sounds, sitting outside, or maybe some instrumental worship music. These will help you adjust to a quiet time without having thoughts and words enter the mix that might distract you from what God wants to say to you specifically.
Step 3: Decide what and how you will be spending your time.
It’s good to have a plan when starting a quiet time because it can feel intimidating when you just go at it without a plan. I still plan what I want to “talk” about with God; sometimes it’s wanting to know more about a certain topic of life, sometimes it’s spending time talking and listening to him on how to handle a certain situation in my life, but even if it’s a little before my time begins, I know what I plan on doing.
And each time can look different. It doesn’t have to be inside at a desk with your Bible and a journal. There are days I’m outside just enjoying creation with God and talking to him about that.
Maybe, to start, just reading the Bible is all you need to focus on God; perhaps you’re like me and need to journal, or maybe you would rather read the Bible and pray aloud. Maybe you need to make lists to stay focused, or maybe you want to type on your computer. Whatever your method, make sure the method doesn’t become a distraction. It’s the Instagram joke you can find here, but sometimes we can be so focused on doing it right that we forget the point is just spending time with God. So make sure however you spend your time, the focus is on your relationship with God.
And it will look different at different parts of your life.
My quiet time is barely the same day to day, let alone year to year. It changes and morphs with my life and relationship with God. Many times, I change the time of day I set aside. Sometimes I change the primary focus, but the goal is always to spend time with God and make him a priority. So don’t worry if you need to try different methods and times before you settle into something that works for you right now. It will change as you grow with God. 5 minutes, in the beginning, might be a life spring for you and make you feel as close to God as you ever have. In a year, 5 minutes might feel like you barely got started spending time with God before you had to move on.
The number one goal of a good Quiet time is that you feel a little closer to God and to be able to hear what his plan and purpose is for your life.
Stay Weird,
