Is this you?
You sit down for your quiet time, rush through a few Bible verses or a quick devotional, throw up a prayer if you remember, and then hurry on to the next task on your to-do list.
And you can't remember a single thing about what you read.
If so, welcome to the club of “spiritual checklist Christianity!”
I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit.
Here’s the thing: Time with the Lord was never meant to be just another box to check off. It’s supposed to be a sacred time of connecting deeply with God, hearing His voice, and letting His Word change you.
But sometimes, life gets so busy that our quiet time becomes one more thing we “have” to do, rather than something we treasure.
We feel the pressure to perform rather than the freedom to just be in God’s presence.
So, how can you tell if your quiet time has become routine rather than relational (or better, transformational)?
Here are a few signs that it's routine:
- You feel obligated rather than excited to open your Bible
- You feel like you just don't have time most days for more than a single verse-of-the-day
- You walk away feeling unchanged, like you’ve only skimmed the surface of something deeper
- You can’t remember what you read an hour later, let alone live out the truths you encountered
If any of these resonate, I get it. I've been there.
But these signs are NOT condemnation; rather, they are gentle nudges to make a change—to realign your heart with the purpose of spending time with your Creator.
He knows your deepest desires. He knows how much you long for a thriving marriage, confidence in your parenting, authenticity in your friendships, peace in your everyday, and joy in the mundane.
The question then is, HOW can you experience meaningful, life-giving quiet time again?
Here are a few tips:
- Start by slowing down, inviting the Holy Spirit to guide you, and using tools that help you focus on what God's Word actually says.
- Pray before you begin, asking God to give you a fresh hunger for His Word.
- Take time to journal, reflect, and meditate on a passage.
- Learn different study methods so that you can find the one that works best for you and your learning style.
- Consider incorporating worship music or simply sitting quietly, soaking in the love and grace of Jesus.
- Don't feel obligated to "complete" studying a verse or passage in one sitting - I've taken up to a week to journal out a single passage because I really wanted to dig in and study it deeply, for as much time as I had available each day (which some days isn't much).
My Quieting Your Mind Guide is designed to help you get started. It includes practical steps to minimize distractions, prepare your heart, and create a sacred space for God to speak to you.
Download it for free and take the first step toward a more relational, impactful quiet time.
You can move from a place of duty to a place of delight, where meeting with God becomes the highlight of your day!
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