Journey of the Word

Ever forget to forget your “quiet time”?

You get to the end of your day, and you’re like, “Oops. Forgot to forget to have my ‘quiet time’ today. I was supposed to be so busy at life and so bored with the Bible that I wouldn’t actually find a way to soak in the Word for a solid hour or so. Epic fail.”

“Yeah, right,” you say. “In my dreams.”

Yep. I thought so, too.

If you’ve ever longed for your time with God to be the highlight of your day – the central theme from which all else flows? Hang with me for a second.

What is your favorite and most productive time of day? If you’re like me, mornings are for sleeping, waking up at the last possible second, frantically getting ready, and heading out the door. All day, I look forward to evening when I can relax and concentrate {the two are not mutually exclusive}. The wee hours of the night are my peak hours to read and write, think and accomplish.

Maybe you’re the opposite. Do what works. Spend time in the Word during your favorite, most productive time of day.

Where is your “happy place”? Perhaps for you, it’s a cozy corner or couch, an uncluttered desk, or a hammock under the stars. Let me share a secret: the park bench is where it’s at. The most perfect, peaceful setting for undistracted time with God. {Plus, you never know what encounters you may have . . . check this out.} So my new goal is to take advantage of every sunshiny day and explore the outdoors, one park bench at a time.

But maybe the park bench is not your thing. Then do what works. Set aside a special place to meet with God.

Do you prefer silence or noise? Now this one just boggles my mind. If I’m going to concentrate on something, I cannot possibly be listening to music at the same time. {Maybe that’s because I’m a musician. Even instrumental music is distracting.} While I don’t require perfect silence, I can’t really handle “structured noise” as the backdrop to my reading, or I will inevitably reach the end of a chapter and wonder what just happened.

But if you need the earbuds in . . . Do what works. Prepare your senses to revel in the Word.

And that’s just a start. If you really want to have fun, leave the devices at home, don’t look at the clock, and don’t have anything planned for an hour or so. Assign a favorite beverage/snack to your Scripture-study time. Whatever it takes to say, “These moments with God are truly that: moments with God. And if I were spending time with him, I’d dream it to be as amazing as this.”

If you’re confining yourself to a dark corner for five minutes at the height of the daily insanity of your home, hoping to spend high-quality, fruitful, unhindered visits with your Lord? Think again. Perhaps you have “quiet-time rules” in your head that need to go.

It’s as simple of this: make your “quiet time” your favorite part of the day. Give your time with God your best, and your time with God will be the best.

When your moments in the Word become a part of your life and don’t merely serve as a dreaded religious habit, the Word is given the chance to explode in your heart.

These days, my Scripture-study time is not always ideal. I’m often pressed for time, park days are rare, and finding a quiet place to think is sometimes impossible. But, no matter when, where, or how, the moments I spend there are treasured and joyous.

Yes, there are days I truly “forget to forget.”

Once upon a time, the Word sometimes made it into my day. Now, most often, it’s there first, and other things are assigned the freedom to leave or stay.

That precious Word has become a blessed part of me, and I won’t let it go.

 [image credit: unsplash.com]