Photo credit: Pinterest.com

Quiet Time is simply a time set aside in a certain place where a person can “get away,” be alone and draw near to the Lord. Thus, a Quiet Time involves a period of concentrated, uninterrupted fellowship with the Lord in a place often designated beforehand – Bible.com.   According to GotQuestions.org, a quiet time is a set-aside part of each day for a meeting between a believer and God. It is also called personal devotion, personal altar or time with the Lord. It consists of reading a part of the Bible, meditating, worshipping and praying. A Quiet Time is an important part of a Christian’s everyday life, for this is when they go to a comfortable and secluded place in (usually) their own home, where they can draw close to God with no distractions. It should be a place where there are no interruptions from TV, telephone, family member interactions or traffic noises, in other words, silence.

Quiet Time is simply a time set aside in a certain place where a person can “get away,” be alone and draw near to the Lord.

The Plight of a Prayerless Generation

God has provided unlimited access to His children through prayer and fellowship. God is called by the Psalmist, ‘the One who answers prayer’ (Psalm 65:2). God by Himself gives us invitation to His Presence (Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 4:16). Unfortunately, many a Christian has not been able to explore this great opportunity provided for communion between the believer and their Lord. Our generation is becoming a lot more impatient, needing instant solution to every challenge of life – in what is termed a ‘microwave generation’. The tenacity and discipline that the men of old and the early Church had in their walk with God is gradually fading away in our generation. Little wonder, false prophets and ‘prayer contractors’ are taking over the scene. These are self-called and self-acclaimed men and women who ‘see’ and pray for solution seekers, some at a fee. Unfortunately, many are ready to pay humongous amounts of money in order to have these false prophets pray and ‘see visions’ for them. Many young believers have become victims of these false prophets, and some new converts find it difficult to get established in the faith because of the diminishing emphasis on Quiet Time. Many are taught to place their faith on their pastor or spiritual father rather than Jesus, a reason why they cannot withstand the increasing trials and temptations of our time. The declining emphasis on and practice of Quiet Time among Christians of this generation has led to the breeding of Christians who are shallow-rooted in the knowledge of God, and vulnerable to carnal and worldly living.

The declining emphasis on and practice of Quiet Time among Christians of this generation has led to the breeding of Christians who are shallow-rooted in the knowledge of God, and vulnerable to carnal and worldly living.

Quiet Time: A Regular Practice of Christ

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed – Mark 1:35

With the multitudes dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night – Matthew 14:23 MSG

As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer – Luke 5:16 NLT

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scripture says, people need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God” – Matthew 4:4 NLT.

Christ set the precedence by a life of personal devotion in prayer and in the Word. His was a habit that He prioritized and observed uncompromisingly. As busy as His schedules were, if Christ could create time to be alone with the Father in fellowship on a regular basis, then you and I are inexcusable. He would withdraw from the crowd and even His disciples regularly to fellowship with the Father. Understanding the benefits of Quiet Time on this side of eternity, Christ never undermined it. He needed it to keep His spirit fervent, stay in touch with the Father and to effectively fulfill His life’s purpose. Everything about His life on earth was for our learning and practicing. The Apostle Peter captures this in his epistle as he charges the believer to follow in His (Christ’s) steps both in living and in suffering for His sake (1Peter 2:21). The Apostle Paul also charged the Corinthian Believers to follow his example just as he also followed Christ (1Corinthians 11:1). Likewise, we are to follow in His steps by maintaining a fervent personal devotional life. Our spiritual growth, maturity and stability in the faith are largely dependent on the strength of our Quiet Time. The stronger our personal devotional life, the more God will be willing to reveal Himself and commit heaven’s treasures to us.

Principles of an Effective Quiet Time

• Find a quiet or solitary place for your Quiet Time – Matthew 26:36; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16. This is important to wade off distractions and intrusions during your time with the Lord. Christ always had His in solitary places and at times when there were no distractions. This enhances effective flow of communication between God and the believer.
• Find a convenient time of fellowship with the Lord, and prioritize it – Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35. There is no time when prayer is most answered; prayer can be made and answered at any time. Heaven’s call line is available 24/7, it depends on the time that is more convenient for you. Choose the most convenient time when you can concentrate, it could be a regular meeting time with the Lord or as your schedule provides. Whichever you choose, ensure to plan and prioritize your time with the Lord above everything else. As much as the quantity of time is important, prioritize quality time with the Lord for an effective Quiet Time (James 5:16-17). Some Christians complain of not having a convenient time for personal devotion. The question is: ‘Do you starve because you do not have time to eat food?’ I’m sure you don’t. If your Quiet Time is of utmost importance to you, you’ll create the time and prioritize it. Christ had a consistent time of fellowship with the Father as revealed in the Scriptures above, so you should have yours also if you’re following in His steps.
• Have specific plans and goals for each Quiet Time – Exodus 34:4, 29-30; Luke 22:41-45. Having a specific plan and goal for your Quiet Time, makes it more refreshing and fulfilling than just bumping into God’s Presence. Plans such as the Scripture to meditate on, subjects of thanksgiving, the burden you’re going to present before the Lord etc. will enable you to stay focus and maximize your time with the Lord. When Christ went to the Garden of Gethsemane, He went with a burden, and to ascertain the Father’s will concerning His assignment. After His time with the Lord, He was strengthened and fully ready for the mission of the cross. This is not to negate the fact that the Holy Ghost can direct us otherwise; the emphasis is flexibility and sensitivity of your spirit to the Lord as you implement your plan. Do not make it an empty religious routine but a fruitful time with the Lord. The goal could be renewal of your strength, relief from burden, direction and clarity concerning a particular matter, increase in the knowledge of God, direct answers to prayers, etc.
• Do not only be eager to speak to the Lord, be willing and eager to hear Him speak to you – Job 33:14-16: Our communion with God is a two way thing. We speak to God and God speaks to us in return. Note that God doesn’t only speak to us during prayer, but He can also speak when reading His word or during meditation and worship. Let your heart be open and your spirit attuned to His for words of exhortation, instruction, encouragement, prophecy, etc. This implies that as much as you need a Bible for your Quiet Time, you would also need a book and pen to write down instructions from the Lord.
• Be as consistent as possible with your Quiet Time: Abraham had a place where he usually stood with God in fellowship (Genesis 19:27).  We are told of Christ that “As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer” – Luke 5:16. So, for Christ, Quiet Time was a regular practice. Inconsistency gives the tempter room to intrude and fill in the gap with lukewarmness and spiritual weakness. And when inconsistency in our Quiet Time becomes a habit, we may be threading on a slippery spiritual ground and a fall may be imminent.

Benefits of Quiet Time

• Strength and alertness to overcome temptations – Matthew 26:41; 1Peter 5:8-9. When we maintain regular fellowship with the Lord, we draw strength from Him to overcome temptations and trials on a daily basis. That we are saved does not exempt us from the attempts of the tempter, in fact, his efforts to get us yield to his ploy is increased. However, as we stay close to the Lord in Quiet Time, our spirit is made alert and strong to wade off all his fiery darts.
• Enhancement of spiritual growth – Acts 4:13; 2Corinthians 3:18; 1Peter 2:2. Spiritual growth and maturity will be slow without Quiet Time. It is a costly omission for the believer to base their relationship with the Lord solely on others without a personal fellowship with the Lord. The transformation in the lives of Christ’s disciples was so obvious that the council acknowledged that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). It is as we stay with Him in fellowship that we are transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another (2Corinthians 3:18).
• Evident manifestation of God’s Presence and Glory – Exodus 34:29-30. Moses, after spending time in God’s Presence, descended the mount with a shiny face such that the Israelites couldn’t behold His face while he talked to them. His face shone because he contacted God’s glory by communion. Christ had a similar experience on the mount of transfiguration when in fellowship with the Father – “His appearance changed from the inside out right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light” – Matthew 17:2. Likewise, when a believer maintains a consistent Quiet Time with the Lord, he exudes the glory of God, so that his life brings glory to God in return.
• Divine preservation and deliverance from the powers of darkness – Psalm 91:1-16. The Psalmist opens the preceding Psalm thus: “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…” – Psalm 91:1.The key to the blessing of Psalm 91 lies in the first verse. The blessing of divine protection and preservation is tied to our constant communion with Him. He is our refuge and fortress and His Word is our shield and buckler (Psalm 91:2, 4). When we pray, study and obey His Word, He becomes a shield around us to counter all attacks of the enemy.
• Exercise of spiritual authority – 1Kings 17:1; Acts 4:13; James 5:16-17. When we stay with the Lord in fellowship, by His light, we get to understand our Kingdom rights. With this knowledge, we can then exercise spiritual authority over the powers of darkness. Having regular Quiet Time strengthens faith and expels fear so that we rise in spiritual authority.When we maintain regular fellowship with the Lord, we draw strength from Him to overcome temptations and trials on a daily basis.

When we maintain regular fellowship with the Lord, we draw strength from Him to overcome temptations and trials on a daily basis.

In spite of the fact that there are other paths to spiritual growth such as fellowship with other believers, trials and life’s experiences, discipleship, etc., the place of Quiet Time cannot be overemphasized. This is because our personal fellowship with the Lord is a vital platform for personal encounters and revelations of the Lord which bring personal transformation. It is important to note that no one of these paths is exclusive in itself for a complete growth; they are interwoven, the one needing the other for complete and healthy spiritual growth. The focus of spiritual growth is to become like Christ in His entirety. Therefore, keep at it, “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” – Ephesians 4:13.  Stay blessed!