Important Announcement: We recently updated and re-released our Worthy of the Calling Study. Not only did we go back through and update the study material, but we also created a printable version, a going-deeper guide, and an audio version. We hope that these additional resources will help even more people benefit from this transformative study of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Click here to learn more about this exciting update to a beloved Bible study!
By Megan Allen
Roses remind me of my grandfather.
He had a beautiful rose garden spreading to each corner of his yard. I would often drive by his house and spot his straw hat sticking out among all the colors.
He invested time daily in watering, pruning, and re-positioning pots to ensure they received the best sunlight.
Our relationships are a lot like my grandfather’s rose garden.
They need faithful and frequent care to thrive. We must water, weed, till, and tend to them if we expect them to grow and remain healthy.
What Is Quiet Time with God?
Our quiet time with God is the time we take each day to cultivate and nurture our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
His Spirit abides within every believer; He is always with us and available to us.
We can spend quiet time with God throughout our day.
However, it’s essential that we set aside a specific time each day to spend in Bible study and strategic prayer.
It’s essential that we set aside a specific time each day to spend in Bible study and strategic prayer.
Why is Quiet Time with God So Important?
For us to live for God’s glory and walk in righteousness, we must be firmly rooted in the rich soil of His Truth.
We need to stay connected to God; We do this by spending time with Him.
Here are three benefits of making quiet time with God a priority in your life.
Benefit #1: There is Joy In His Presence
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. – Psalm 16:11 NASB
No person, place, or thing can satisfy our deepest longings like the presence of our eternal, loving Creator.
No person, place, or thing can satisfy our deepest longings like the resence of our eternal, loving Creator.Benefit #2: His Word Transforms and Sustains You
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NASB
God’s Word washes away anxious thoughts and lifts our minds off of our circumstances and onto His promises. Our quiet time with God gives us the sustenance and strength we need to live for Him.
Benefit #3: Prayer is Powerful
“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18 NASB
Prayer is not only our communication tool with God, but it is also how we access the power we need to get through the day.
How You Can Improve Your Quiet Time with God
Here are some ideas to help you spend time with the Lord faithfully and consistently.
- Have A Plan
It’s easy to allow our quiet time with God to get shoved aside by our busy schedules and to-do lists. Like so many other aspects of our life, we need to be intentional about planning a daily meeting with our heavenly Father.
- Schedule Your Quiet Time With God
Consider your current schedule and routine. When is the best time for you to spend time with the Lord each day? Your time with the Lord must be a top priority! Maybe you need to consider what needs to be removed from your schedule before making a plan to dedicate that available time to the Lord each day.
- Find a Good Devotional
There are some great quiet time apps, books, Bible studies, and reading plans available online or at your local bookstore. These resources can help you intentionally get in God’s Word and apply it to your life.
It’s easy to allow our quiet time with God to get shoved aside by our busy schedules and to-do lists.- Use a Prayer Journal
Using a prayer journal is a great way to keep track of all the things you want to be strategically praying for. You can use something as simple as a spiral notebook, binder, or even 3×5 cards. Writing down your prayers helps you to remember specific prayer points when you sit down for your quiet time.
- Set Reasonable Expectations
Each season of life comes with its own set of potential distractions. If you are a mom or work full-time, you may not be able to sit down for 2 hours of in-depth Bible study every day. So don’t expect that of yourself. The point is that you make a meaningful connection with the Lord in His Word each day.
- Create The Atmosphere
What helps you to stay focused? Create an atmosphere for yourself that will help you to fix your mind on the Lord. Make sure to keep your Bible, notebook, pens, and any other Bible study tools together, so you don’t have to scramble to find everything each day.
Encouragement for Your Quiet Time With God
Now that you have created a plan – surrender it.
I promise you, your quiet time plan will not work out perfectly every day.
Don’t allow messy execution of your plan to discourage you from continuing to show up. You may need to make some adjustments as you go.
Don’t allow messy execution of your plan to discourage you from continuing to show up. You may need to make some adjustments as you go.That’s ok!
It’s important to remember that your relationship with the Lord is a personal one.
It’s unique; it’s between you and Him.
You don’t have to spend your quiet time the same way your best friend does or the way your pastor’s wife does.
God has given us some specific instruction on how He wants us to engage in our relationship with Him.
We are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling (Eph 4:1) and worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
Yet, we must not allow quiet time to become a religious activity.
Our quiet time with God is not based on a set of rules but rather an eternal loving relationship.
It’s about wanting to please Him—desiring to live your life in a posture of obedience and gratitude for all He has done for you.
-Megan Allen
FREE 31-Day Study of Ephesians
This 31-day e-mail based study on the book of Ephesians was created for busy women just like you.
All you need to complete the study is 15-minutes per day and your mobile device.
Finally, a way to dig deeper into God’s Word in those precious few moments before the kids wake up and start making demands—while you are stuck in the drive-through line at school—at the end of the day when you’ve just got enough energy to lay in bed and scroll through your phone.
The beautiful truths of Ephesians will teach you…
- How to Root your life in God’s Word
- How to Access your Spiritual Wealth
- How God’s Work Empowers your Walk
- What it means to be Alive in Christ
- How to Love because you are Loved
- How to Pray with Perseverance
- How to Foster your Spiritual Gifts
The Bible is full of practical help and inspiration awaits when you make time to dive in and get to know the God who created you for amazing things.
As we dig into Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we will discover so many powerful truths meant to equip all Christians to walk Worthy of the Calling.
Megan Allen has been a student of God’s Word for the past 15 years. She is a loving wife and homeschool mama. Her mornings begin with her Bible and a very strong cup of coffee. Her passion is encouraging and equipping other women to study the Bible for themselves through her ministry at meganallenministries.com. Her family currently lives in the beautiful Boise, ID area where she also leads women’s inductive Bible studies. Connect with Megan’s ministry on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
