quiet time

Hey! So I lead a small group of junior and senior girls on Sunday mornings. As we've gone through this school year together, I've been challenging them (and giving them a hard time because that's my job) about keeping up a daily "quiet time." Sometimes I even have treats like gift cards to Chick-fil-A as motivation. Like I keep reminding them as the seniors graduate though, I will not always be around to ask them if they have read their Bibles or how their prayer time is going, nor will there be Chick-fil-A treats for them :)

So obviously, the ultimate motivation is not a sticker or gift card, but to train ourselves to get into new habits. I want them to get in the habit of spending time with God before they go off to work or college. We all know it will be much more difficult to start that as life gets busier and they get older. And, hey, I'll be the first to admit, I find it difficult some days to spend quality time with Him, reading His Word and praying too! I know that I cannot grow in Him or watch Him work in my life and feel closer to Him when I'm not spending time with Him. Like any relationship, it takes time and communication with our God, too.

Some points we have learned, not just for teenagers, but anyone, is that the time of day is really up to the individual. Some people say morning is best, to set the day on the right track, and that is great, but if work or school schedule does not permit that, do it when it works! Spending time is the important part, not the time of day. For me in college, afternoon was the only time I wasn't busy, so it worked. Now, I have to get up before my girls get up or, let's get real, it ain't gonna happen!

Some people avoid quiet time because when they cannot dedicate 30 minutes of time to it, the end up feeling guilty and just avoid the process all together. Take heart, though! Start with a small, attainable goal! After reaching it, which may be as few as five minutes, it is easier to be motivated to try for longer. Also, setting an alarm on a cell phone is helpful, too, as it keeps you on track. Besides, five minutes goes by so quickly, you will probably want to begin spending time with Him longer.

Some people feel discouraged because they don't get blown away with something that touches them each time they spend time with God. Here's the thing: it's not always going to. Spending time with God requires discipline just like anything in life. Just as in exercise, nobody becomes toned overnight, and it requires daily repetition, in our quiet time, over time we feel closer to Him and get to fall in love with Him more! We cannot give up just because we didn't "feel" moved today. We keep going. Feelings may come later, but every time we spend time with Him, we have grown in Him.

I guess what we talk about most with our quiet time is just to jump in there and DO IT! Soon, it will become such a blessed part of the day, you can't NOT spend time with our God! If you already don't spend time with Him or don't spend time consistently, here is a pat on the back and the encouragement to go for it. Be blessed by your time with your God Who loves you more than you know!

Love,

Charis