Spending 'Quiet Time' with the Lord
From the beginning of my Christian life as a new mom, I knew that I needed quiet time. Today's new mom might think that term means time for the kids to be quiet and take a nap. Yippee! But it's really a time for you to be quiet with God. It's a time to spend alone with Him, to read His Word and share your heart with Him. It's a time of spiritual refreshment so that you can be filled with grace and strength to do what you need to do in your daily life. It keeps you healthy? spiritually, emotionally and physically.
God Rewards Those Who Earnestly Seek Him
God honors those who seek Him first. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you". You can be assured that if you put Him first, He will give you the wisdom, the strength, and the grace you need to face everything else that will come your way during the rest of the day.
It has been suggested that the best time for quiet time is early in the morning because you need to give your "first fruits" of your day to the Lord. You might find it hard at first to get up early and spend time in prayer. I remember when I was a young mom, I slept when the kids slept or else I didn't sleep! But if you go to bed early (when they do) or enlist the help of your husband, you might be surprised how just a few minutes with the Lord everyday can change your outlook on the day ahead. However, if you just can't do it then (some people aren't morning people) do it before you go to bed or during the children's naptime. Anytime is really all right with the Lord.
Once you begin to consistently spend quiet time with the Lord, His promise to you is that you will be blessed and that you will "lack no good thing". (Psalm 34:10 NIV) You will see your prayers answered because everyone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:8 NIV). These are just a couple of scriptures that encourage you to seek Him because you will receive the reward of that search.
What Kinds of Rewards?
They come in all forms-spiritual, physical and emotional-but my favorites are the reward of His presence, His wisdom to make tough decisions, His grace to deal with difficult circumstances and His love that will fill your heart and overflow onto your family. I hope these rewards don't sound "super-spiritual" but if you seek Him, they satisfy like nothing else.
Steps to Follow
Here are some helpful steps to follow as you enter into your quiet time. First, remember that quiet time is for your benefit, not God's. Although He longs to be with you, you are the one who will ultimately benefit by the time you spend with Him.
In the beginning, it might feel awkward. How do you enter His presence, especially when there are so many distractions? Here's the second step: find a quiet place. When I first began having a quiet time with God, I literally sat in my closet. Since I am a "morning person", I didn't want to wake anyone up?especially the babies! The closet was the quietest place I could find. Quietly sing praise songs (whether by yourself or accompanied by a portable CD player) to quiet your mind and focus on God.
Third, have a Bible and a notebook with you. Read the Word and write down your thoughts about what you're reading in the Bible. What should you read? Here are some suggestions but you should find out what's right for you.
Go With the Flow
Altogether, your quiet time may take 5 minutes or 15 minutes or an hour or more. It's all up to you. God understands if you have crying babies and need to go make breakfast. The point is that you are communicating with Him on a daily basis. Some days you may have more time, some days less. No matter what, enjoy the time you have with Him! Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and go with the flow! Your promise from Him is that He will be your "very great reward"!
Eunice Coughlin is a christian mother of 2 daughters and the founder of Healthy Living for Moms, an information resource for moms of all ages and stages who want to enjoy better spiritual and physical health. http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com
disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..Can God really heal your pain? Does every trial come... Read More
To find out how psychic you are, try answering the... Read More
One of the first things you will find that God... Read More
Life is full of ups and downs, trials, and tribulations.... Read More
In earlier articles entitled "We Are Not Our Personalities", "Eliminating... Read More
When the body of Christ isn't protected we become vulnerable... Read More
Lectio divina is a very useful and practical discipline for... Read More
I know God will not give me anything I can't... Read More
"Mama, save me!"My six year old son jumped into my... Read More
Do you have a servant's heart? Has God blessed you... Read More
70% of people who send me feedback at http://www.insideoutmusic.net tell... Read More
It was in the middle of the night and the... Read More
Continued from "Origin of Certain Thoughts, Part I"If you haven't... Read More
Coming face to face with yourself in the space between... Read More
There are moments in the believer's life when the Spirit... Read More
Job was a spiritual man who loved and obeyed God... Read More
I said something last week I haven't said in years.... Read More
Human beings originally have three forms of existence. The first... Read More
Have you ever wondered how much faith you really have?... Read More
... Read More
Baptism and christening ceremonies are an important event that signifies... Read More
As you will see I the Scripture verse I will... Read More
Life is just a journey. Princess DianaWhether we are... Read More
Here they are, our Ladies of Mercy and Divine Benevolence.... Read More
You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More
last minute cleaning help Highland Park ..THE GNOSTICS, ESSENES AND THE 'OCCULT':Throughout this book I have... Read More
(Channeled) Spirituality is about everyday life, which includes getting up... Read More
I finally went to the dentist today. I had been... Read More
An etheric body, also known as the aura, surrounds every... Read More
We want to hear from God so that we may... Read More
My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called... Read More
On one side there is a dark cloud. It is... Read More
"No man is a prophet in his own country."That line... Read More
A few men and women are universally successful but such... Read More
Actually I have 'helped' exorcize spirits more than once but... Read More
Who is the more spiritual person? The woman out on... Read More
We, the human species, stand on the threshold of a... Read More
A year ago, a beautiful woman came to see me.... Read More
For me, the best poetry stirs my soul; it awakens... Read More
What does the story of your life say about you?... Read More
"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught... Read More
There is power in meanings of the old images and... Read More
Michael Shermer speaks with the energy and passion of an... Read More
An angel can be your best friend. Angels have been... Read More
WHAT IS E.V.P.?EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena, some believe... Read More
I have sent out hundreds of press releases for my... Read More
During my childhood days, I disliked Lenten season because radio... Read More
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on... Read More
An interesting question that frequently comes up is "Which Gods... Read More
After first seeing my photography, people... Read More
Spirituality |