Quiet Time with a Purpose

How do approach your quiet time with God? If you are like most people, you probably find a few left over minutes and read a few Bible verses, tell God the things you need, maybe read a page from a devotional and go about the rest of your day. If you figured out the importance of your devotional time, perhaps you set a specific time for your devotions, maybe even a specific place. Perhaps you have a Bible reading plan and a format for prayer.

I spent most of my early Christian devotional life in just that pattern and thought I was doing great. But as I've matured, I frankly felt frustrated by slower growth than I wanted. I often felt disconnected in my devotions. Everything seemed one way. The proverbial "brass ceiling" was very present many days and weeks and months. Then I started thinking about the way I approached my business meetings and asked myself why I sometimes got more out of them than I did out of my devotional time.

It didn't take long to figure it out. I came to my business meetings with an agenda, a purpose, a desired (and expected) outcome. I approached my meetings with God with none of those tools. My next thought was that if my time in business meetings were important enough to make me approach them with a purpose, wasn't my time with God at least that important?

The simple change - quiet time with a purpose - revolutionized my devotion time. When I think ahead about how I want to spend my time alone in God's presence and plan for that meeting, what a difference it makes. Just like a business meeting with an agenda versus one without, my meetings with God make a difference in me. Quiet time is no longer habit, but character building. It is no longer one-way conversation, but meaningful dialog. I'm growing as never before.

The creator of the universe invites us into His office to commune with Him. Before you enter, why do you want to go there? Think about it. Have a purpose - maybe even write it down. Focus on it. It will change your time with Him.

More next time.