How to Practice Daily Quiet Time

If you have been at church for any length of time, you have likely heard someone talking about having a daily “quiet time.” But, often, churchgoers just encourage one another to have a daily quiet time without providing any details on what this looks like.

It leaves many Christians confounded. They feel like failures when they attempt to practice daily quiet time because they don’t actually know what it is. Unfortunately, they give up before they even start.

Let’s change this today.

The first thing to know about the practice of daily quiet time is that it is not one-size-fits-all. Daily quiet time is all about your personal relationship with God. It’s not a competition. It’s not something to check off your to-do list.

Your daily quiet time will look different from your neighbor’s. And that’s okay!

If you are just starting the practice of daily quiet time or just looking for some ways to reinvigorate your daily quiet time, I’ve got some tips to help you figure it out.

Know Why Quiet Time Is Important

Let’s start at the very beginning.

What do Christians mean when they talk about “quiet time?”

iDisciple explains, “A ‘quiet time’ is simply being intentional about having a conversation with God. This usually means listening for God's voice by reading the Bible or devotions, and speaking to God through prayer. Jesus did this numerous times in the Gospels, sometimes slipping away all night or in the early morning, to spend time with his Father.”

As Christians, we are striving to be Christ-like. Jesus Christ modeled spending quiet time with God for us. We should follow his example.

This is simply part of having a relationship with God. Just as you spend time with your friends, you should spend time with God. You can’t develop a relationship if you don’t spend time in one another’s presence.

Many people over the years have compared it to marriage. Spending alone time with your spouse is vital if you want to have a strong relationship. Failing to do so would be detrimental.

The more time we spend with God, the stronger our faith will be. God will use this daily quiet time to grow our relationship and strengthen us as individuals.

Jesus told the disciples:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

This is why we practice quiet time. Whenever you know your “why,” it makes the practice more meaningful.

Choose a Time

Now that you know why it is important to have a daily quiet time, let’s talk about how you actually do it.

The first thing to consider is when you will have this quiet time.

While we should pray throughout the day, quiet time is special time set aside for us to be one-on-one with God.

Scripture tells us Jesus sometimes prayed early in the morning.

“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).

The important part is to think about a time when you can be alone with God.

If you have a family, you may choose to spend intentional time with God before your kids wake up OR after they go to bed. Your home may have too many distractions, so you may choose to have a quiet time during your lunch break in the privacy of your office.

There isn’t a right or wrong time, but you should choose a time in your regular schedule when you know you can be alone with God.

Pick a Place

As you consider when, take time to also consider where you can have daily quiet time.

Consider what Jesus did. He made a point to move away from others.

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray’” (Matthew 26:36)

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Many Christians seldom have alone time. There are always people around. In this case, you’ll need to carve out the space to be alone with Jesus.

For example, you may choose to have your daily quiet time in the bathroom with the door closed each morning before you get ready for the day. You might also use a closet and hang up a sign that says, “Do not disturb.”

A story I have long admired is about Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley.

She had eleven children, and she had a unique way of finding time to be alone with God. She would pull her apron up over her head, which worked as a signal to her children that she was spending time with God and not to be disturbed.

Have a Plan

Now that you know when and where you plan to have a daily quiet time, it’s time to think about what you are going to do with this time.

This is where a lot of Christians get stuck.

What is important to remember is that this quiet time is a time for you to grow in your relationship with God. It doesn’t have to look the same as someone else’s or even be the same every day.

You may choose to pray, study Scripture, read a devotional book, journaling, or listen to worship music.

When deciding what you want to do with your daily quiet time, consider what Paul told to the Romans: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

Strive for this time to be a renewal of your mind, drawing you closer to your Heavenly Father.

For some, this may look like studying Scripture. For others, this may look like doing a mixture of spiritual practices.

Either way, if you have a plan ahead of time, it will make your quiet time more successful.

Find the Right Tools

Speaking of having a plan, think about what you need to make your plan successful.

For example, if you want to read a devotional during your daily quiet time, have a devotional ready.

The good news is that there are so many resources available today to help you have a meaningful quiet time.

Here are a few examples of tools:

Email devotions, such as She Reads Truth and He Reads Truth, that come every morning.
The YouVersion Bible app (You can set it up to send reading reminders, chose different devotional plans or Scripture reading plans, and use accountability features).
Apps, such as Abide or Lectio 365, which guide you through daily mediations.
Podcasts that go through the Bible.
Streaming music apps for listening to worship music.

Commit to It

Lastly, make a commitment to practice daily quiet time.

Start by committing to just five minutes a day for thirty days.

This is enough time to form a habit.

And if you miss a day, be sure to give yourself grace.