Why Quiet Time is Necessary
Erica Hunt
Let’s face it. Sometimes having a quiet time is a chore. It is a box to check off our to-do list, an obligation that looms over us, or even an interruption to our other priorities. Even when we enjoy our time with the Lord, setting aside the time can feel like drudgery. Sometimes the day just gets away from us and the effort we do make to pull out our Bible finds us staring at the wall, mentally busy with everything else going on in our lives.
Why is quiet time sometimes a drudgery and is it worth it even when it feels this way?
Not to be too snarky, but we can also ask: Why do we clean our house? Why do we brush our teeth and make our beds? Why do we go to our job or school? What advantage is there in doing homework or working out? These disciplines are all beneficial to us in one way or another. Sure, we can skip them, reschedule, or altogether forget, but the absence of minimal care for our bodies, lives, possessions, and responsibilities always end up being detrimental to ourselves, and eventually to those around us.
We can bet that if the negligence of our physical bodies is detrimental to our health, then spiritual negligence harms our souls. But a healthy soul is harder to see than a healthy physique and there are seasons when quiet time seems to get in the way of our other needs. So, why is quiet time with the sacrifice and effort?
It is how we are spiritually fed.
It is important to remember that we are not only physical beings but spiritual beings. We were created with a soul that needs just as much, if not more, care as our physical bodies! As Jesus says in Matthew 4:4 we do not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God. God’s Word feeds our spirit. And just as working out or eating well doesn’t immediately transform us, our spiritual diet isn’t always fast-acting. But over time, the living and active Word of God molds us into a person more like Jesus.
It is a testimony without words.
Though our quiet time is not for show and attention, it is encouraging to see others spend time in the Word of God. When we watch our spouses on their knees, our parents’ devotionals on the counter, our grandparents’ worn Bible pages, or verses posted on our friend’s bathroom mirror, these examples spur us on in our own spiritual walks. Your faithfulness in spending time with the Lord can also encourage others even in seasons when you are discouraged.
It is for God’s Glory and our Good
Quiet time, like all of life, is for God’s glory and our good. We were created to glorify Him; His glory is our primary good. God doesn't need our 20-minute quiet time, we need it. He doesn't need our memorization and hymns of praise; we need His word to saturate our minds and worship to overflow from our hearts. We set aside time as a form of worship, because He is worthy of worship, so it is right that we worship. He is the source of all we need so we persistently come to Him to meet those needs! He invites us to read what He has done and what He promises to do and uses this to help us see what He is currently doing. When we spend time with Him - no matter how we feel - by studying, worshiping, and praying; we glorify God by living out the reality that He is the center of our existence. The time we spend in prayer and scripture may sometimes seem useless to us, but it has unseen consequences in our lives that we may never know, because God is using it, and it will be for His glory.
“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish what which I propose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV).
Practical applications:
- Ask God to help you find joy in coming to Him.
- Partner with a friend to encourage and pray for one another in your personal quiet times.
- Remember that your time spent in God’s Word will not be wasted time.
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Erica Hunt lives with her husband, Justin, in South Dakota. She teaches middle school and loves traveling, collecting quotes, learning fun facts and historical information, drinking coffee, eating ice cream, and enjoying good conversation with friends. |