The Ultimate "Quiet-Time" Checklist

What does it take to have a really good, really productive time with the Lord? I often think about this because some days I have a lot of time, but there are other days where I get maybe 10 minutes before I hear Avery stirring and waking up. In one of my previous blogs, I shared that what really matters isn’t the amount of time you spend with God, but the quality of the time you spend. I think the primary question of whether or not it was a success should be, did you encounter God? If the answer is yes, I would say that’s a win.

But sometimes it takes a starting point. When you aren’t sure where to start, you can get a little lost and miss a great opportunity-- or if you’re like me, maybe in the midst of waking up and sipping your coffee you fall down the rabbit hole of social media. My goal in this post is to share some very simple, very basic steps to make sure you get the most out of your quiet time.

The Ultimate “Quiet-Time” Checklist

1. Prepare your Heart

That might sounds super vague and church-y, but it’s easy with a little bit of intentionality. When you decide to sit down and have your quiet time (or whatever you want to call it), you are making a choice to step into the presence of God. Yes, Jesus calls us friend, but we are still encountering the Lord, the Most High God. That’s not something to ignore. So what does this look like? For me, most days I am just incredibly grateful for my life. I pour my coffee and it’s like gratitude is welling up as I’m walking over to the couch. I’m grateful, I’m excited, and I’m overwhelmed by God’s goodness. Contrast this to the feeling you have when you walk into a meeting that could have essentially been an email: apathetic, slightly annoyed, and ready to move on. There’s a difference. God looks at our heart, so remember to make sure yours is ready to encounter his.

I know there are days where we just can’t go to God with enthusiasm. If you’re broken-hearted or burdened, that’s okay too. Present that to him. Bring him your heart.

2. Put away the distractions

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and while you are talking to them it’s so obvious that they are no longer listening? Sometimes I see Rudy on his phone and I’ll throw some complete nonsense into what I’m saying to see if he notices. When he doesn’t, it hurts my feelings! In the same way, I think God wants to see us without distractions. If anyone deserves your undivided attention, I think He’s has the right.

I’m going to state the obvious here and say that technology probably needs to be put away OR only used for journaling/reading. But another thing to remember is to free your mind from those wandering frustrations or thoughts. Sometimes what helps me is to just talk to God about whatever it is - get it off my mind - and then move on. Or if it’s something I need to remember to do, I’ll just write it down really quick or set a reminder in my phone for later in the day.

Bottom line: A short amount of time spent focused on God is much more productive than an hour of unfocused time.

3. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly

Reading your Bible can be confusing at times. From knowing where to read, what to read, how much to read, and understanding it… it can be a challenge. My #1 strength is competition, so the yearly Bible reading plans can be a huge obstacle for me sometimes. I get so caught up in checking off those darn boxes that I read as quick as I can, and retain NOTHING! Maybe you can stick to the plan. Maybe you can’t. But whatever you do, make sure that you really absorb what you are reading. The days where I get the most out of what I read are usually the days I only read 1-2 chapters. I’ve learned to be okay with that.

You may not have time to sit down and read your Bible every day. Here are a few things you can do with a busier schedule to still keep your mind and heart focused on the Lord, even if you are on the go:

• Listen to worship music / worship in the car or in the background as you are working

• Set up a verse of the day reminder on your phone with the Bible App

• Listen to sermons/podcasts while you are out and about. It could be from your church or you can pick some of your favorites. Rudy and I subscribed to Bethel TV for a while and we would listen to their sermons and live worship sets while we were at work.

• Find an audiobook from a Christian author that you enjoy

• Pick a devotional that you like and start your morning off by reading it

These shouldn’t substitute time with God entirely, but are great for those days you are in a rush, sleep in, or have extra activities going on… or if you just want to grow more, add it on to your daily routine!

4. Join in the Exchange

I say exchange because meeting with God is not a one-way conversation. Prayer is incredibly valuable and I love to pray, and journal, and talk to God many times during the day, but I try to make sure every day I ask the Lord, What are you speaking to me?

This has been an exercise for me that I’ve grown in over the last several years. Every day I take some time and ask the Lord what he’s speaking, and then I write it down. I do my best to listen for the voice of God. I may not get it right every single time, but when I go back in my journals and see what he says, I would say at least 90% of the time it was right. And then it’s so cool to go back and see what God spoke!

In this step, find a way to express your love to God. Spend time praying or journaling, whatever is comfortable to you, and then allow God the same space. If it’s hard for you at first, maybe set a time for 5 minutes where you pause and listen. You may get one word, one sentence, or a whole page - but whatever it is, write it down.

5. Find a way to “Close” your time with God

We know that God never leaves us, so “ending” your time with God kind of sounds silly, but I like to end my time the same way every day. It helps me mentally get ready to start my day. It can be whatever you want, but for me I like to end my quiet time with prayer. By the end of my quiet time, most likely I have read my Bible, journaled/reflected on what I read, and listened to God’s voice. Out of those different experiences, I take time to respond to the Lord, ask Him to be with me for the day, and thank Him.

Summary

Everyone’s time with the Lord looks different. And it should. We are all unique and the way God speaks to each of us is unique. I’ve given you some examples from my own experience, but I encourage you to find what works for you and what makes you feel closest to God. I hope this post helps you take the next step in your faith - if you’ve been feeling lost or “stuck”, maybe this will give you a push in the right direction.

What does your quiet time look like? What does a “GREAT” quiet time look like for you?