I try to have a short quiet time with my boys several days a week. We read a short Bible story, I ask them some questions, each of us prays for a couple things, and we usually do some fun activity to support what we learned. This morning my boys really frustrated and saddened me. First they didn’t want to do it. Then once they agreed they kept interrupting me reading. So of course, when I got to asking them questions they couldn’t answer them. They struggled to pray. Then they wanted me to pray but kept interrupting my prayer, which was only like 20 seconds long. I told them I was very saddened by their behavior. They wanted to do the activity that we usually do as part of our time, but I said no, that is a privilege that they didn’t earn, and anyway it’s based on the Bible story, which they didn’t really learn. I don’t know if I was right in doing that, but later it did make me think of something I’ve experienced.
When I don’t have my quiet time, I often have bad days. If things don’t actually go worse in my day, at very least my attitude toward my day is often worse. I’ve experienced this over time, as most days I have quiet time, and then an occasional day I don’t. At the end of those days, as I’m wondering, why was today so lousy, I realize, almost every time, I didn’t spend my time with the God that morning. I find an analogy in what happened with my boys this morning. They missed out on what could have been, a privilege, in doing our fun activity, because they didn’t do quiet time. I think we often miss out on what could have been during a day, because we don’t start the day by connecting with God. If a person has never had a habit of spending time with God on a regular basis to experience how things can be different, then they may not know how different things can be.
I also mentioned that I was saddened by my boys behavior, partially because they didn’t want to spend time with God, but I think in large part because they wouldn’t even do it at my encouragement. I wonder if God feels similar to the way I did, when we don’t see the value in quiet time with Him. Someone may say, “They’re just kids. They don’t understand it.” I agree, which just furthers the analogy. I think when we don’t value quiet time with God it points to the fact that we are immature, kid Christians.
Now, this is not a commentary on discipline. It’s about valuing quiet time. Like, I value it highly and never want to miss it, but some days I don’t discipline myself to do it. Maybe it’s from not getting up early enough to have quiet time. That’s a discipline issue. Although, it may be a value issue - valuing sleep over time with God. Yes I need sleep, but I need time with God more. Maybe it’s letting life, stuff I have to do, crowd out time with God. That’s a discipline issue. Although, again, it may be a value issue - valuing everything else in life over time with God. Yes I have things I need to get done, but I need time with God more. If I don’t have a strong relationship with Him, what else matters? If I’m not connected to Him and empowered by Him, am I all that I could be in all my other tasks – work, parent, spouse, servant, etc.? My experience is that I’m not.
Because of my value on quiet time I started some new disciplines this morning to try to ensure a more consistent, less rushed, quiet time for me. I challenge you to make some consistent time for some Bible reading and reflection, and also some focused prayer, done in an environment of quiet and focus. This was Jesus’ habit (Mark 1:35, Matt. 14:23, Luke 5:15-16). Let’s follow our Lord and savior.
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