Why do we feel the urge to grab our phones or watch some TV instead of the important task in front of us? To analyze the root of the problem, we need to look inward – into our hearts and minds. Why can’t we just sit down and spend time with God? Why can’t we just do the things for college we are assigned to? Why can’t we just do the chores we know we have to do?
Because we want to do something more interesting. Something more fulfilling that stimulates our senses more than the dull disciplines of daily life. We want to eat the chocolate instead of vegetables because it’s just more enjoyable.
Our flesh longs for instant satisfaction and gratification. At the core is short-term pleasure and our desire for more than reality can give us at that moment. We want more stimulus and quick success. If we believe the lie, that success in any area of life can be achieved quickly, we’re not willing to put in the hard work.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that spending daily quality time with God is my absolute favorite thing of the day. Reading my Bible, journaling and praying are my passions. But it hasn’t always been that way. I couldn’t stick to a Bible study routine at the beginning of my journey as a Christian. Years ago, I realized that the only important thing in life is my relationship with God. And spending time with him was the only way to build this tie. That’s why I decided to do it every single day for the rest of my life. In the beginning it was flat out hard. I had no desire to study the Bible or pray whatsoever. But sticking to it day by day and week by week I started to love it. In fact, today I can say that it’s my most favorite part of the day.
I get a lot of messages from people who are having troubles following through with a daily Bible reading habit. And I get it, I’ve been there. I think one problem is that you don’t desire God enough. There are so many other things that you want to do. Everything else seems to give you more instant gratification than putting in the discipline of spending time with God.
If you’re just starting out, you may not really know what to do in your quiet time. Or you may be a few years on the road with God but find it hard to connect with him daily.
I want to give you 10 practical steps that can help you fight distractions to spend more time with God:
1. Pray for a longing to spend time with God.
God will happily answer that prayer, trust me. Years ago, when I started building a daily habit of quiet time with God, I prayed this every day. Remember, I had no desire for reading the Bible and praying. But after I prayed this for a few weeks, my desire for God’s presence thrived. Today, I’d like to spend time with God 24/7. That’s how much he heard and answered my prayer!
2. Pray for a focused mind.
Yes, God can help you with that. Ask God to quiet the noise in your head and to help you focus on him and his Word alone.
3. Write everything down that comes to mind.
Sometimes when we’re praying and reading the Bible, other things come to mind like “Oh, I need to do laundry.” Or “I need to buy some apples, call this person, write that email…” or whatever. Instead of rushing through your Bible study to do some errands, write your to-dos down. Everything that comes to mind, that you need to do, write them on this piece of paper. That way it’s out of your head and you won’t forget to do it later. This is also a good chance to pray over your to-do’s and ask God what you should first and what you can leave out today.
4. Put all electronic devices down.
This is huge. Put your computer on standby, turn the TV off and put your tablet and phone into flight mode. How could you hear God’s whisper when there are so many other voices speaking?
5. Get your priorities straight.
What if you don’t have time to spend with God? Life can be hectic; work, study, kids and a full to-do list. Yes, I know how it is. That’s why you need to ask yourself: What’s the most important thing in your life? Because we always make time for what truly matters to us. See this as an opportunity to ask God about your priorities. Where do you need to make adjustments? What responsibilities are you carrying that God never told you to pick up? Give your schedule to God and ask him what changes you need to make.
6. If you’re too tired to spend time with God, do it anyway.
When you had a rough day or a sleepless night, you need God the most! If you’re too tired to read your Bible and pray, just tell God how you feel. Ask him for strength and comfort. Sometimes I sleep very few hours at night (I have a baby and a lot of other things going on). But God knows how to refresh me after every sleepless night. I don’t know how I would get by being tired WITHOUT spending time with God.
7. Work on being more disciplined.
I hear people say things like “I’m just not the disciplined kind of person.” You know what? I wasn’t either. But I trained myself to do the things that needed to be done, no matter if it felt good or not. Just start spending time with God today. And do it again tomorrow. And stick to it. You’ll see – over time you’ll develop a taste for it. The more you spend time with him, the more you long for his presence.
8. Try to do your quiet time at the same place and time each day.
The best way to build a habit is to make it as simple as possible for you. If you develop a routine of spending time with God every day after waking up, you train yourself to stick to it. If you’re working shifts, just find something that works for you and helps you to seek God daily. Another good idea is to dedicate a place for your quiet time. This could be a specific corner of your house, a special chair or whatever.
9. Stop running to other things for satisfaction
When we don’t feel good, we’re quick to watch TV or do some other activities that give us instant gratification. But these things won’t fulfill us in the long run. It’s like taking a drug; the issues of the heart will return when the numbness vanishes. When you spend time with God instead, he can truly heal your heart that you need nothing else anymore but him.
10. Get the right attitude about spending time with God.
You may have some wrong perceptions about how quiet time looks like. Maybe you’re picturing yourself sitting in a dark room with a candle, being silent…and bored. While this idea might be intriguing to others, it may not seem appealing to you. This is totally fine. Maybe your quiet time looks different. Try taking a walk outside: Half of the time you listen to an audio Bible and the other half you pray. Or you do your quiet time on your balcony and write all your thoughts and prayers down. In the end it’s important that you spend time in the Bible and in prayer daily. Find whatever works for you.
Follow these things and I’m convinced the distractions that have been screaming for your attention get quiet. The only sound you’ll hear is God’s whisper.
Read more related blog posts:
My 5 favorite Bible study resources
How to get your priorities straight
How I’ve learned to hear God’s voice
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