It’s amazing, isn’t it? That our times with the infinite Creator of the Universe can sometimes feel…well…boring?! I assure you that it is not God’s fault! He is the most interesting Being ever, so why does it happen? And how can we avoid it?
It happens because we get stuck in a rut. Or it happens because we make spending time with Him just another item to check off our to-do list. Or it happens because we get so focused on the method we are using that we miss Him. This is one big reason Why I Stopped Using Bible Study Methods.
So what do we do when we find ourselves in this place?
Over the years, I have had countless quiet times. Most have been times of meeting with God, but some have not. Here’s some tips that help me stay connected to God.
1. Change It Up!
I notice when my times with the Lord start to feel flat, it’s often because I have just been doing the same thing everyday with Him. So I change it up a bit.
I usually read from my One Year Bible, but sometimes I’ll just go outside and take a walk with Him. (Don’t worry, type A’s [myself included!] this still counts as a quiet time!) I’ll see if there’s anything He wants to speak to me through His creation as I walk. The Bible tells us that all of creation declares His glory (Psalm 19:1)!
Or sometimes I’ll just sit quietly and invite Him to speak to me. Sometimes He leads me to read a specific passage or shows me a picture that has meaning to me or brings the words of a song into my mind that whispers His love to me. There’s many Biblical ways to hear God’s voice.
I’ve even watched a scene from a movie as my time with the Lord! The point is not to just do a ritual, but to meet with the Lord. Traditions can help us connect with Him, but if they start to get in the way, change it up!
2. Ask for Fresh Revelation
I find what gives me the most life during my times with the Lord is the fresh manna, you know, the daily bread of His word that speaks right to my heart for that day. I try to read until I get that from Him. Something that really stands out to me, confirms a lesson I’m learning, encourages me, or answers a question.
Sometimes I ask Him to give me fresh revelation of His love for me. Just recently I was doing that and all of a sudden I was getting references to Ruth everywhere that I went -church, online, friends. I figured God was trying to tell me something. He was showing me afresh that He is my Kinsman-Redeemer.
3. Read a Good Teaching Book
The Bible is obviously my go-to when I spend time with the Lord. He is the One who wrote it, so of course it’s totally different to any other book. But sometimes if I find myself stuck in a rut, I find a good teaching book or commentary or study and do that for a couple of weeks.
Often there is one or two that I have noticed or been drawn to, so I try to choose one of those because usually I’ve noticed it for a reason.
You could also watch a DVD teaching series. There’s heaps out there to choose from!
4. Worship
This almost never fails to get me back into an awareness of the presence of God. He’s always with us, but when we spend time just worshipping Him, He “shows” Himself to us. He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3)
When I worship, I find Him in the secret place. I have no other agenda than to just love on Him, sing to Him, meet with Him. Usually I sense my connection to Him in the first or second song, but there are times when I really have to press in past any distractions or concerns to seek His face.
And He always desires to meet with us.
Worship is not about us, of course. The focus is always Him, but because He is a kind Father and good Husband, He loves to draw near to us and show us more of who He is. What an incredible privilege!
I’d love to hear any tips that you have for banishing boring quiet times!
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