Quiet Time

Quiet Time

Rebecca U.

One thing that I know a lot of teens struggle with, myself included, is having a quiet time with God, or devotions.

What is a quiet time you ask? Well, it's simply some quiet time that you spend with God, reading the Bible, journalism, and/or praying.

It really is important to spend time with God everyday, multiple times a day if you can! Even if you think it doesn't matter, because you are still young, or because you don't understand everything in the Bible, it is important. I know how hard it can be. I'll be honest, it wasn't until recently that I really started reading my Bible and praying daily. Some days I end up just speed reading through whatever chapter of the Bible I'm on before rushing to start a busy day. But I know that isn't the best way to really connect with God, and develop a close relationship with Him. And isn't that every Christian's desire? To grow closer in their relationship with God?

What you need. 
•                     A Bible 
•                     A journal, notebook, or even just blank paper 
•                     A pen or pencil (I like colorful ones!) 
•                     Worship music (optional)

1.  Gather your supplies. I usually have my Bible (I use NKJV) and journal on a shelf above my bed, but if I need anything else, I make sure I have it before I start. Along with the items listed above, I like to have some type of dictionary nearby in case I want to look up the definition of a word. It really helps me dig deeper into the Bible! You can grab whatever else you want during your quiet time. 

2.  Find a quiet place to have your quiet time. I choose my bedroom, because I won't be disturbed there (normally...), but you may have other areas that work better for you. In the summer I hope to be able to start having my quiet time outside. 

3.  Turn on some worship music. This isn't necessary, but it may help get you into a "worshipful" mood. It really doesn't matter what band or type you listen to, just so long as it isn't too distracting from reading the Bible and journalism. Today I was listening to Laura Story's "God of Every Story" CD. 

4.  Grab your Bible, and choose somewhere to start reading. I recommend choosing a book of the Bible and sticking to it all the way through, instead of just jumping around everywhere. But either way works! It's up to you! Read a whole chapter, or just a couple of verses, depending on how much time you have. I started reading Psalms today. (It's going to take awhile to get through!)

5.  Pick out a verse (or more than one!) that stands out to you. Write it out in your journal, then write some thoughts about it below, applying it to your life. This is probably my favorite part of my quiet time. Date the page you are writing on, and don't forget to include the reference for the verses. It will be cool to look back later and see what you were learning about at a certain point in life! 

6.  Pray. You may want to write out a prayer in your journal, or you may just want to talk to God. Talk to Him about whatever is going on in our life. Thank Him for the life He has given you, even though it has its rough times. Ask for help for whatever situation you are going through. Just talk to Him, and enjoy the time spent with your heavenly Father. 

This is how I have started doing my quiet time! I hope I have given you some tips for starting your own quiet time with God if you haven't already started. This isn't the only way to have a quiet time, and different things work for different people, but I just wanted to share what I do and give you some ideas for yourself!

Do you have a daily quiet time? How do you spend that time? Where is your favorite place to spend that time?