Why Is It So Hard to Have a Quiet Time?

If you are like me,  you've heard all your Christian life about the importance of having a quiet time. We've heard stories about giants of the faith like Martin Luther, who prayed for two or three hours each morning. We've heard about Susannah Wesley, mother of fifteen, who desired a quiet time with God so much that she would throw her apron over her head to create a place to have a conversation with the Lord. We've heard contemporary speakers and writers like Becky Tirabassi challenge us with her testimony of spending an hour a day in Bible study and prayer.

Why then, is it still so hard to consistently spend time with God in Bible reading and prayer?

After almost thirty years of walking with God, I still struggle with having a consistent quiet time.

What is especially curious to me is that although I have built the discipline of Bible reading and prayer into my life, and it is a rare day when I miss my time with the Lord,  I still feel the pull to do other things instead.  Do you have this struggle too?

As I pondered this phenomena of this divided heart, I arrived at a conclusion.  I think we struggle with consistently spending time with God because we are not convinced that it is the best use of our time.  It sounds sacrilegious, doesn't it? It is hard to admit. I feel ashamed even typing these words, since I have included myself in the "we" of the above statement, but I believe it is true.

We make time for what we think is important.  We can look back through our daytimer for proof. We believe getting our teeth cleaned will benefit our health, so we go to the dentist twice a year. We believe exercise will enhance our quality and length of life, so we sweat away at the gym. We believe helping our children with homework will enable them to perform better academically, so we carve out time each day to work with them. We believe eating three meals a day is essential, so we shop, and prepare, and cook.

If we truly believe that time with God each day is essential to the quality of our lives, our relationships, and our effectiveness in ministry and at work, wouldn't we ensure that we never miss an appointment?

E. M. Bounds, one of the world's greatest proponents of prayer, had these discerning words to say,

"The little estimate we put on prayer is evidence from the little time we give to it."
 
Bounds believed that spending time with God was the wisest investment of our time that a believer could make. He said this:

"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day."
 
Despite the the busyness of house guests and meal preparations, Mary, the sister of Martha, chose to spend time at Jesus' feet.  He commended her forever in Luke 10 when He said, "Mary has chosen what is better. . ." 

I ask you today, do you really believe that there is anything more important than spending time with the God of the universe?

Me either.

May God richly bless us as we spend time at His feet.

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Are You Child-like or Child-ish?

I am very child-like. 

I like walking on the top of stone walls, eating ice cream instead of dinner, and taking naps with my favorite stuffed animal.  I like making faces in dressing room mirrors, sleeping over with friends, and reading books in bed.  I like summer better than winter, libraries better than doctor’s offices, and potato chips better than celery

I celebrate the fact that Jesus loved children. 

He was never too important or too busy to interact with the children who flocked around Him.  Like puppies, children know who loves them, and they knew Jesus loved them.  “Let the little children come to Me,” was His command, “and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mk 10:14)

Children were Jesus’ best example of what Kingdom faith looks like.  One of the most precious gifts a child bestows upon someone is her trust.  She never asks for a resume with five references, bank statements from three years back, or a 30-day trial period.  She just trusts. 

When the object of a child’s trust is her father, she models the trust God calls us to have in Him.  Saving faith is simple, unconditional, and active.  We don’t have to reconcile free will and election, solve the problem of evil in the world, or recite the Westminster Catechism. We just need to trust to the point of action.  We need to trust God enough because of Who He is to jump off the ledge of self-effort into the arms of Grace.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8, 9)  This is child-like faith.

On the other hand, sometimes I am very childish.  I sulk when I don’t get my way, hate taking my vitamins, and would rather play with the dog than do my chores.  Sometimes I don’t make my bed, pick up my socks, or floss my teeth.  Sometimes I don’t like to share. 

While God encourages us to come to Him in child-like faith, He does not encourage us to be childish.  Though he instructs newborn believers to “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” He doesn’t want us to stay spiritual infants. 

God, through the apostle Paul, scolds the “fat babies.”  “And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

I hope you can examine your life and find that your child-like faith has allowed you to trust Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.  If you have, or if you are making that decision today, picture the scene from Mark 10 with you as the child at Jesus’ knee. . .  “And He took (insert your name here) in His arms, put His hands on her, and blessed her.”

If you have a trust relationship with God, this type of saving faith is active faith. It is growing faith.  It is maturing faith.  While it begins child-like, it is not childish.  If you can look at your life and see little evidence of the family resemblance that marks all of God’s children (Gal. 5:22), then it’s time to grow up!

“Lord, you tell us in Philippians 1:6 that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”  I know you promise to be at work in my life, but you won’t do it against my will.  Help me to seek you first each day, choosing to spend time in Your Word so that I can grow up to look just like You one day.  Thank you for being my heavenly Father.”