Once I became a mom having a daily quiet time became more of a challenge. First thing in the morning is ideal, but I am not a morning person and 2 of my 3 children are up by 6:30 or 7 AM every day. I am a night owl. I actually get a second wind around 10PM. I always have a ton to do so I usually take advantage of this productive time and don't get to bed before 11:30PM or even midnight. Considering my toddler alarm clock goes off at 6:30AM, I would not get any sleep if I got up earlier than that to have my Bible study and prayer time.
But, what works for me is to have that quiet time right after I put my kids down for nap/rest time. They have naptime every day, so this is time I can count on, and having mid-day time with God is actually a great way to refuel myself for the remainder of the day. Dealing with little kids it is possible to be completely spent by 1PM (at least for me), but I always feel refreshed after my quiet time.
It can be a challenge to keep the commitment of having regular quiet times because once my kids are down for naps there are so many things I need to do. But, considering this time is so precious I feel it is honoring to God to give Him the "first fruits" of that time.
Also, some days there is one interruption after another. The dog wants to go outside. The dryer buzzes that the clothes are done, and need to be hung up. A child calls down from upstairs, continually. The dog wants inside, but has muddy feet. I get a phone call I've been waiting on. . .
Instead of getting discouraged or giving up on my quiet time with God, I think of the distractions as schemes of the devil to get me off course. I actually get extra determined to pray and read my Bible because God must be about to say something important, so important that the devil is trying really hard to stop me from hearing it! One of my all time favorite books, The Screw Tape Letters (Bantam Classics)
by C.S. Lewis will open your eyes to the ways Satan is trying to influence your life. It is a life-changing book!!! I also fit in little devotionals that come over email and short prayers throughout the day.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Prov. 2:6
Oh how I need that wisdom, knowledge and understanding for so many aspects of my daily life!
So how do you manage Bible study and prayer time?
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Thanks so much for this post. I've been trying to figure out the best time for me to have some quiet time with God. I, too, am a night owl and it's hard to get up any earlier in the morning. I like the idea of having quiet time during the kids' naptime. And your thoughts about Satan sending distractions puts things into perspective. I have always been frustrated when I do get ready to make time and something gets in the way. Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement.
ReplyDeleteI'm having the same struggle, and am selfish about my naptime-time. Thanks for the idea and the perspective. Much needed!
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely not alone in struggling to find that much needed quiet time. I wish I could share something that works for me in this area, but I lack in motivation and struggle with making the time! Thank you for your post and reminding us how important it truly is to get that time with God.
ReplyDeletegreat idea! I have gotten my kids trained that I have my quiet time every morning when I have my coffee. They can sit beside me and read or draw, or they can play or watch tv, but they may not ask me unneccesary questions or engage me in conversation. It is so important for us to spend that time with the Lord and in prayer.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for writing about this! Quiet devotional time is so important but so easy to put off. I appreciated when you wrote about being extra determined to read your bible when you get too many distractions during your quiet time. I agree that that is one of Satan's strategies to keep us from being in the Word.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a great idea! My three-year old does not nap anymore, unfortunately. But, I've bought him some things with the idea that he could have his own quiet time. We'll see how it goes :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. When I was doing an in-depth precepts Bible study by Kay Arthur, I did my quiet time during nap time because I needed a solid hour (at least) of focused time. I'm back to doing it in the mornings now. I am more of a morning person.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this....I needed it after a day like today! I think spending some time in the afternoon as my quiet time would work really well for me too. I seem to have such frazzled evenings, and I know the time in prayer and study would give me the inspiration to make it through. I tend to give God "what's left" when I need to make that time much more deliberate and important.
ReplyDeleteMy quiet time is in the afternoon as well. Bravo for giving God the first fruits of your time.
ReplyDeleteI love quiet time with God. :D IT is such a blessing! :D Thank you for sharing how it has worked and blessed you!
ReplyDeleteWe do this, too. Our older children (who don't take naps) are also required to have a quiet time, so I don't miss that time, even though I have older children. It works out really well.
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