Imagine that you’ve been invited to meet with the President of the United States in the Oval Office. You’d likely look forward to your appointment with great excitement. Now imagine that someone much more exciting – the God of the universe – wants to meet with you personally. This scenario is true; God really does want to meet with you, and He wants to do so every single day through a private quiet time together.
Those appointments with God should be a source of great joy for you. But unfortunately, quiet times can sometimes seem too intimidating to schedule or maintain regularly. Here are some ways you can enjoy your appointments with God:
Think about how much God loves you, and expect to be blessed as a result of spending time with Him. View your quiet times as cherished meetings with someone you love.
Realize that the more time you spend with God, the greater the intimacy you’ll develop with Him. Although the idea of a daily quiet time might seem awkward at first because you might not know what to say or how to recognize God’s voice, after a while, you’ll look forward to the appointment because it will be like meeting with your best friend.
Set aside a consistent time every day to meet with God. Choose a time at which you’re most alert and can block out distractions. Although many people choose first thing in the morning after waking up, the afternoon or evening can also work.
Designate a special place in which you can meet privately with God. The place can be either indoors or outdoors, such as a home office or a garden.
Relax! Don’t feel pressured to perform certain rituals during your quiet time; there is no one “right” way to conduct a quiet time. Think about what activities best draw you into God’s presence, then go with those.
Seek God Himself rather than anything He might give you. Know that God will meet you where you are and reveal much about Himself to you if you’re sincerely seeking Him.
Consider following a Bible reading plan during your quiet times. Then ask God to help you apply the verses you read to your everyday life. Meditate on Scripture and memorize it so it will renew your mind.