
Do you feel like your personal devotional time is…
A. Vibrant and really consistent.
B. Pretty good, but could get better.
C. Okay, but in need of some passion and consistency.
D. Pretty irregular. And honestly, quite boring.
E. It basically never happens.
If you picked B or below, this post is for you. Keep reading. And guess what – this post is written for me too. I often fall somewhere between B and C.
Since we’re in this boat together, I’m going to share 3 simple tips that have helped me instantly improve my personal devotion time over the years.
They’re actually quite simple. And as I’ve worked at applying them, my quiet times have improved – greatly. But before I give you the 3 quick tips, let’s chat for a second about why having “personal devotion time” is even important.
For starters, when I use the words “quiet time” I’m referring to your personal devotional time/time with the Lord/Bible reading time/prayer time/etc. It’s simply that small chunk of time that we each set aside once a day to spend intentional time alone with God.
Whether you’ve made this a regular habit or not, it’s important to spend time alone with God each day. Why? Because being a Christian is built upon our relationship with Christ.
God gave us the Bible to teach us about who He is and who we are in light of Him.
In our crazy, busy, fast-paced culture, we have to make the daily choice to slow down and seek His face.
Here are a few reasons we need to have a quiet time:
- We need quiet moments of worship and adoration for our King. We need to develop a heart of “devotion” for our Savior.
- We need God’s daily wisdom and insight from the Bible to know how He calls us to live.
- We need daily reminders that He is God and we are not. “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his” (Psalm 100:3).
- As sinners, we need regular moments of repentance.
- We need to bring the needs of others before God in prayer, and seek His face on their behalf.
I hope you are catching a glimpse of why a personal time of “devotion” to God is so important. Now that we’re on the same page there, here are 3 quick tips to instantly improve your quiet time.
1. Get ready the night before.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to bed way too late (I’m a night owl) only to wake up the next day exhausted and in NO mood for a personal devotional time. The fix? Get more sleep. I have learned that my best morning devotion times begin the night before.
Instead of watching that late night movie, browsing social media for an extra 30 minutes, or reading that book, try turning out the lights a little earlier. Our bodies need rest, and we function at our best when we get enough sleep. The best way to set your morning devotional time up for success is to get to bed at a decent hour the night before.
2. Leave your phone behind.
The biggest enemy of my personal devotion time is my cell phone. I’m not kidding! I’ll wake up feeling rested and ready to have a great quiet time…then…I’ll notice a few new text messages on my phone.
With the sincere intention to quickly check them, I find myself browsing around (getting distracted on social media, email, texting, the internet, etc.) and instantly lose 30 minutes of time. Then I’ll quickly scrape up a few puny minutes of devotional time. Ever done that?
The quick fix? Don’t touch, look at, or think about your cell phone until after your devotional time with God. Just don’t go there. Leave it on the charger. You will survive. Technology is extremely distracting for most of us (this goes for a computer or tablet as well), and has a sneaky way of hijacking our time with God. By implementing this one simple area of discipline, you will be amazed at how focused and “interruption free” your quiet time can be.
3. Use a Bible study book to help guide your time.
My personal devotional time has gone through many phases over the years. I’ve done everything from the One Year Bible, to the chronological Bible, to jumping around in different books of the Bible, to using a Bible study book to facilitate what I read each day, to feeling uninspired and simply reading wherever my Bible opens to.
Over the years I have noticed that my personal devotional time has always flourished when I have a plan. Most often, this plan includes reading a Bible study book to guide my reading time. I am currently using a book called Behold Your God: Studies on the Attributes of God.
This book creates a Bible study plan for me and guides me through studying God’s word.
Nothing makes a devotional time harder than not knowing what to read or where to start. Get a plan. Either figure out a Bible reading plan ahead of time and come prepared, or use a Bible study book to help guide your time.
So there you go!
Those are my 3 simple tips to instantly improve your personal devo time. Those 3 tips have helped me a TON (and continue to help me as I implement them) and I’m positive they will be helpful to you too.
I challenge you to implement these 3 tips right away into your life. Go to bed at a decent hour tonight, don’t look at your phone in the morning until after your devotional time, and plan now for what you will read/study tomorrow.
**And if you want to take an even deeper dive in your faith, I can’t encourage you enough to consider joining us for our 8-Week Mentorship Course. Our Fall semester begins September 7, 2020 and is open to every age and every country! No matter where you live in the world you can join us. Find out more here.
Okay girl, I want to hear from you!
- What areas do you struggle in the most when it comes to having a personal devotional time?
- What books/Bible studies have helped you study God’s Word?