Getting Started with Quiet Time

Written By Stephen Bastawros

Select a Specific Time

The best time to have a quiet time is when you are at your best. Morning is recommended, because that is the example that Christ Himself set for us. It shows that God is your top priority and my mind is not yet cluttered with the day's events. Whatever time you select, be consistent.

Choose a Special Place

"Now in the morning, having risen a long while before

daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." 

Mark 1:35

Gather the Resources You Will Need

You will need your Bible or Quiet Time Guide, and you may also want a journal. Your  journal should be used to write down what the Lord speaks to you about, and to keep your prayer list.

Begin with the Right Mindset

  • Reverence: "Be still, and know that I am God." -Psalm 46:10

  • Faith: "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law." -Psalm 119:18

  • Obedience: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." -Matthew 6:33

Structure your Quiet Time

Structure your time to get the most out of it, even when you don’t feel like it. 

  1. Relax (1 Minute)
    Slow down your thoughts, and be still and quiet. Prepare your heart. Take deep breaths and ask God to:

    1. Meet with you

    2. Help you stay focused

    3. Reveal to you His Word for today

    4. Bring comfort and clarification to your life.

  2. Read a Passage (4 Minutes)
    Read and re-read the passage slowly, perhaps repeating a verse several times, expecting God to make it come alive with relevance for your situation. Read until you feel God has told you something.

  3. Reflect on the Verse (4 Minutes)

Here are 6 ways to help you meditate on a verse:

  1. Picture it! Visualize the scene in your mind.

  2. Pronounce it! Say the verse aloud, each time emphasizing a different word.

  3. Paraphrase it! Rewrite the verse in your own words.

  4. Personalize it! Replace pronouns or people in the verse with your own name

  5. Pray it! Turn the verse into a prayer and say it back to God.

  6. Probe it! Ask the following 9 questions. Is there any:

    1. Sin to confess?

    2. Promise to claim?

    3. Attitude to change?

    4. Command to keep?

    5. Example to follow?

    6. Prayer to pray?

    7. Error to avoid?

    8. Truth to believe?

    9. Something to thank God for?

4. Record What God Did (2 Minutes)
In your journal, write out the verse that spoke to you most personally. Then write out a personal application statement that is practical and measurable:

  • What does the passage say generally (What is it teaching me?)

  • What does the passage say to me personally (What should I do specifically?)

  • Refer back to your verse and application several times throughout the day. Try to memorize the verse and meditate upon the application all throughout your day.

5. Request (4 Minutes)

Conclude your Quiet Time by talking to God about what He has shown you and making requests from your prayer list.

Overcoming Problems with your Quiet Time

  1. The Problem of DisciplineYour first problem in establishing a quiet time will face you the moment you wake each morning: Am I going to get out of bed? Suggestions:

    1. Go to bed on time

    2. Beware of things that can rob you of your Quiet Time (social media, texting / phone calls, etc.)

  2. The Problem of Distraction
    Satan will try to use anything to get your mind to wander during a quiet time. Don't worry about your mind getting distracted, but gently bring it back to focus on God, and the area you were praying about.

  3. The Problem of Dryness
    Sometimes you will feel like you're not getting anything out of your Quiet Time. Never judge your Quiet Time by your feelings. Possible causes of spiritual dryness include:

    1. Your physical condition

    2. Disobedience to God

    3. Rushing your quiet time

    4. Not sharing insights with others

  4. The Problem of Diligence
    Your greatest problem will be your struggle to stay consistent. Satan fights nothing harder than your Quiet Time.
    Suggestions:

    1. Agree on a plan with your Father of Confession.

    2. Schedule it on your calendar.

    3. Be prepared for Satan's excuses (too tired, too busy, etc)

    4. Leave your Bible or Quiet Time guide open at night to the passage for the next day!

    5. If you miss a day, don't become guilty, legalistic, or give up.

    6. It takes at least three weeks for you to become familiar with a new task. Then it takes another three weeks before it becomes a comfortable habit.

Stephen Bastawros
Previous

Praise & Psalmody - Week 1: Monday