Every relationship needs time together to grow and deepen. A Christian’s relationship with God is no different. We need to spend time with God to know Him better, to hear His heart, and to foster intimacy with our Savior.
The term “quiet time” is commonly used of this relationship-building time that Christians spend one-on-one with God in prayer, Bible reading, and Bible study. Jesus set the example for us. He regularly got away alone to spend time with His Heavenly Father. Most of us want – even long – to foster this relationship, but sometimes we aren’t sure how to make it happen.
Today’s busy lifestyle makes regular time with God challenging, but it can be done with planning and commitment. See  “8 Tips for Moving Quiet Time from ‘Want To’ to ‘Get To'” for help in making quiet time a reality.
So, once you’ve decided to spend time with God regularly, what’s next? What does a quiet time look like? How can we get the most out of the time we do have to spend with God? The following tips can be utilized no matter how much time you have. Or simply use just those tips you find helpful.
11 Tips for Spending Regular Quality Time with God
Establish a regular place and time – We are creatures of habit. If we know when and where we will meet with God daily we are much more likely to do it. Build it into your daily schedule. If this is new for you, start small, commit to it and God will grow it.
- Organize your “tool” box – Gather your tools (Bible, reading plan, journal, pen, etc.) and keep them together in your designated spot so you’ll always be prepared. I’ve found having a reading plan greatly increases the chance of me staying in the Word regularly. Without a plan, reading stays haphazard at best. Here are several different plans that would take you through the year.
- Minimize Distractions – Though it’s not possible to eliminate them all, we can take steps to help maintain our focus. Email and social media are my biggest distractions. I had to determine not to open my laptop until after my quiet time. What competes for your attention the most?
- Start with prayer – Ask God to speak to you and help you understand His Word today. Thank Him for meeting with you.
- Begin to read the Bible – Remember your purpose is to communicate with God. The Bible is the primary way God speaks to us. Don’t read hastily just to get through the passage. Let God stop you.
- Meditate on the passage – Meditation is not emptying your mind. It is deep thinking on spiritual truths. As you read, linger over verses that impact you. Ask God questions and “listen” for His answers. These 5 PROBE questions are a great guide to meditate on a passage.
- Pray as you read – Time with God should be interactive. Respond to God as He speaks to you through His Word. Reading and praying creates a conversation with God.
- Sit still in God’s presence – We are products of our rushed, busy culture. Unfortunately, this tendency affects our time with God. We often rush through so we can get on with the next thing. I am certainly guilty of this. Commit to purposefully slow down! Sense God’s presence? Then simply sit still and be with Him.
- Journal – Read with pen in hand. Record what God says to you and how you will respond. Writing can help you stay focused on God and His voice. You can also read your thoughts later to be reminded of something God taught you, an answered prayer, a time you felt His presence, etc. Here are some extra tips on journaling by Rachel Wojo.
- Memorize – Commit to memorize verses God calls special attention to. Knowing Scripture by heart helps us guard against sin, reminds us of God’s promises, provides guidance, and allows us to meditate on God’s Word anywhere and anytime. These two posts will help: Scripture Memory Tips and 8 Activities to Help You Memorize Scripture.
- Application – Apply to your life whatever God says to you through prayer and His Word. It may be repentance. It may be a change in behavior. It may be a specific action.
Other posts you may find helpful
Thanks, Kathy! Just what I needed to put in next week’s worship guide for First Baptist Church of Pleasant Grove, Utah. We’re into a second year on prayer, and this year we’re into the “how” of prayer; last year we focused on what, (the Acts 1:8 way).
Hi Karen! Thanks for stopping by. So glad you find the tips helpful for your church. I am always encouraged hearing how God is using my humble offerings.
This is an excellent post!I really like all the links that are provided. Thank you . Trena
THANK YOU
Thanks for sahring your wisdom and experience…This will be a big help to our community groups of young people…God bless you more…
So glad to hear the tips encouraged you and might be helpful to your church!
Love these tips near the beginning of a new year.Plan to use them on my ladies’ radio programme!
Hi Cheryl, so glad the tips encouraged you!
Quiet time with 3 active dogs. I feed them their breakfast, prepare my coffee and then it’s ‘quiet time’ for all. They have to lay down (for their good to settle in bellies) and I settle for my daily bread from the word of God. Bible, journal, reading plan. They on their beds and me in my special chair. I treasure these quiet moments as the morning sunlight filters in. Quiet time.
Love this Debbie!! And I can relate. We also have three dogs and they will not allow me to settle in with my coffee and Bible until they’ve had breakfast and gone out to potty. That is our routine every morning. But as soon as they are taken care of, I settle in with my Bible!
Thank you for the tip about finding a time to dedicate to God so that you can make it a habit. I have been trying to have a better time being able to be more spiritual in my daily life. I wonder if I could find a regular show to watch or listen to that can help me with that.
It all begins with a desire to be with God! You’ve got that. There are so many wonderful online groups that can encourage you to be in God’s Word regularly and provide some accountability. I have a closed Facebook group that uses a reading plan to discuss God’s Word together. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReadingTheBibleTogether/. We are in the middle of reading Daniel right now but will be starting a new book in two weeks. You might also want to check out the BibleStudyHub on Facebook!
Still a great post more than a year later.
Glad you found it helpful!
Journaling is my passion and I use two different journals. Do you have multiple journals?
Hi! Thanks for coming by. I just use one journal at a time. But I also make study notes in my Bible. It’s a journaling Bible!
Thank you for this! No matter how busy we are, we should make time for God. That is the least we can do for all the love and sacrifices he gave us.