Step 1: Our Personal Quiet Time
1) Thank God and praise Him.
It has been said that gratitude is the highest form of worship we can give to God, so as you begin your Quiet Time, come into the Lord's presence with a heart full of gratitude to Him.
It is possible to have a Quiet Time but not really connect with the Lord. Often this happens because we are thinking about ourselves and our concerns about ourselves. Gratitude to God breaks the power of self centeredness. It shifts the focus onto God.
We can give thanks for:
- Who God is. (Faithful, patient, generous and so on.)
- Things He has done for us.
- Family, friends, and church.
- Difficulties we have experienced. (We can learn and grow from these. James 1:2 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." And in Romans 5:3,4 "Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. ")
2) Write down the key blessing of the previous day in the Quiet Time sheet.
Assuming you have a Quiet Time in the morning, write down a key blessing from the previous day. Here's an example.
3) Pray, and ask God to speak to you through His Word.
Ask God if there is anything blocking your communication with Him. If something comes to mind, confess it and ask for His forgiveness. Then ask Him to take control of your life by His Holy Spirit and to give you His thoughts and not your preconceived ideas.
4) Slowly read today's Bible passage several times.
Expect the Lord to speak to you, because He has said He will. In John 10:1-16, Jesus says that He calls His sheep by name. They know His voice; they listen to Him and follow Him. You will hear His voice, so read and re-read the passage, enjoying what you hear.
5) Write out the "best" Bible verse or verses from the passage.
As you read, it is likely one verse will become prominent. Write it in the diary. This will help you later to have even more thoughts and also to share what you believe God said to you.
6) Meditate on this "best" verse.
Prayerfully and thoughtfully go over this "best" verse, perhaps stressing each main word. As you examine it, God will make it rich, relevant and special to you for that morning. His voice will quietly and firmly confirm your fresh insight into it.
7. Write down what you believe God could be saying to you
Write, "Lord, I believe You are saying to me that ..." followed by what you believe He has said to you. If nothing does come to mind, you could write out a prayer. See the following example:
8) Pray back to the Lord in response to what you believe He has given you.
This is vital. If, let's say, the Lord has brought an awareness of sin in your life, you should ask for His forgiveness and help to overcome that particular sin.
For example, if you believe the Lord is asking you to have more faith and trust in Him, you should pray and ask Him to help you in this. If you believe He is asking you to forgive a certain person, pray and ask Him for His gracious help.
9) Act on what you believe the Lord has said to you.
It is not always easy to do what the Lord asks. You may need to pray for His help. He promises to always give you the strength to obey Him. And whatever the Lord asks us to do will always be for our good or for the good of others.
If you have even some slight doubt about what you think you have heard the Lord telling you to do, before taking any action, share it with someone whose advice you respect. Perhaps with your parents, a church leader or a friend.
Learn How To Train Children to Have Quiet Times by clicking here
Frequently Asked Questions about the Quiet Time
Scripture Memory: Once a person has got a daily Quiet Time established in his/her life, another very powerful way of further connecting with God is Scripture Memory
Read more of the strategy:
- The Quiet Time
- Sharing With My Family
- Sharing With Other Families