How to Have Quiet Time With God: 15 Tips

I try to begin my days spending some quiet moments with God.  Many days, my mind refuses to quiet, and I have a hard time focusing.  On those days, I come back to the insights I’m sharing today.  Today, we’ll talk about how to have quiet time with God.

First, let’s consider the importance of quiet time with God.

More than anything else, God wants a relationship with each of his children.  Just as we grow closer to others in our human relationships, we grow closer to God by spending set-apart time with him.

When we connect with God in our quiet moments, we grow stronger.  God gives us the courage and boldness to face our troubles and lean on him for support.

Just as Jesus often went to quiet places to seek his Father, we are to find pockets of time for connecting with God.  As we pour our hearts out to him in prayer, listen for his voice, worship him, and read his Word, he molds us to look more like Jesus.

How to Have Quiet Time With God

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of this set-apart time, let’s talk about how to have quiet time with God.

Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you get started with a daily devotional rhythm.

How to Have Quiet Time With God: Tips to Help You

Here are some tips to getting started.

1. Set aside a quiet space where you feel comfortable.

Ultimately, we want daily devotions to become a regular part of our daily rhythms.  For this reason, a comfortable and quiet space is important.

You might choose your office, a chair by the window, your porch, your bedroom, or anywhere that is peaceful.

For moms of young children, this space might be the bathroom.  I have lived through this and can attest that any quiet space will work.

If your house is never quiet, aim to find the quietest space you can find.  I’ve used white noise with earbuds while cartoons blared in the next room many times.

2. Find a time of day that works for you.

Morning is ideal because meeting with God first thing starts the day by focusing on him.

If morning doesn’t work, your lunch break or evening can also work.

The key here is to build devotional time into your routine so that you don’t even have to think about doing it.  It needs to become automatic.

I do my devotional time in the morning while I eat breakfast.  If I’m eating breakfast, I’m doing devotions.  This keeps it a routine part of my day.

You might have to experiment with this at first to see what works.  Don’t give up.  You’ll find the right time as you stick with it.

It’s also important to note that as seasons of life change, your place and time might need to change, too.

3. Be realistic.

An hour might sound like a good place to start, but I suggest even a few minutes.

This does not have to be a huge amount of time.  Commit what you can.

Two minutes will be better than no minutes at all.

For many people, 5-15 minutes tends to be a good range, especially at first.

How to Have Quiet Time With God: What to Actually Do

Now, let’s talk about what we actually do during this time.  Daily devotions often consist of some of the following activities: interacting with the Bible, praying, journaling, being still with God, and worshiping.

Let’s take a closer look at these activities.

4. Be still with God.

A good way to start this time is by taking even 30 seconds to be still in God’s presence.

I like to close my eyes or look out the window and take a minute to let my thoughts settle.  When random thoughts come, I let them pass by like clouds on the canvas of my mind.  My goal for this time is to breathe quietly and move out of the fast pace of the day.

I think about God’s love for me and imagine him smiling joyfully as I set aside this time.

5. Give thanks.

After a moment of stillness, I usually begin my time by thanking God.

Giving thanks opens neuropathways in our brains that make it easier to connect with God relationally.

Some days, I list a few blessings from the past day in my journal.  On other days, I verbally thank God for whatever I see outside the window or whatever comes to mind.

The key here is to cultivate gratitude.

6. Confess sins.

After stillness and gratitude, I usually pray this prayer: “God, search my heart and show me if I have offended you or sinned against you since I last sat in this space.”

I wait for a moment and pay attention to any thoughts that arise.  Usually, I recall a misspoken word or bad attitude.

I confess any sins that come to mind to God and repent of them, asking God to help me turn away from these behaviors and turn toward him in love and obedience.

7. Read the Bible.

Bible reading is an important part of devotional time.  God uses his written Word as his primary tool for renewing our minds.

I usually use a Bible reading plan and read the daily reading.  Sometimes, I read through the Bible by reading a chapter or two each day.

The key here is to stick with it.

Most of the time, Bible reading feels like a nourishing bowl of oatmeal.  Nothing shocking happens, but God’s Word feeds my spirit in a deep way, day after day.

For tips on how to actually encounter God as you read the Bible, join me

8. Consider other ways of interacting with the Bible.

Bible reading is important, but interacting with God’s Word in other ways can help us grow even more.

I like to imagine I am on the scene of Bible stories and consider what it would have been like.

Memorizing Bible verses, studying the Bible, using commentaries, or using practices like Lectio Divina can help us get more out of God’s Word as well.

When I’m having trouble focusing on the Word, I copy passages into a journal.

Devotional time is also a good time to read other books that help you connect with God.  I encourage you to make sure you are reading the Bible and use additional devotionals or books as supplements.

If you’re just getting started, a good devotional book can guide you through a Scripture reading and reflection.  (Read to the end of today’s post for a free 31-day devotional eBook.)

9. Write in a journal.

If you like to write, you might use part of your devotional time to write reflections on your daily Bible reading in a journal.

You can also write prayers in a journal or use the journal as if you are writing a letter directly to God.  This can be a good way to sort through troubling situations or heavy emotions.

10. Pray to God.

Prayer is nothing more than talking to God.

God loves you and wants a close relationship with you more than anything in the world.

Talk to him.

Tell him how you’re feeling and what you’re struggling with.  Thank him for his gifts in your life and tell him what you need.

Many people overlook the fact that prayer also includes listening.  Every day, I ask God to show me what he wants me to know about my life or the world around me.  I then pay attention to any impressions that come to mind.  When these impressions are wise and biblical, they are often God’s thoughts.

11. Worship in song.

Most mornings, I listen to at least one worship song.  I might read Revelation 4 and imagine I am worshiping before God’s throne, or I might just tell God how much I adore him as I worship him.

Worship is powerful because it shifts our eyes away from temporal circumstances and onto God in the eternal realm.

12. Pray for others.

I also pray for other people during my devotional time.

A prayer list of names can be a life-changing tool for our intercessory prayers.

13. Aim to encounter God.

For many of us, a large part of the problem when it comes to our time with God is that we rush through it.  It’s one more item on the day’s list of tasks to accomplish.

I’ve heard writers say that when they sit down to write, they follow this rule: “Write or do nothing.”

In other words, when they sit down for a designated amount of time for writing, they can do one of two things: write or do nothing at all.  They don’t allow themselves to get up to fold laundry, scroll through social media, or check the weather.  They have two choices: writing or nothing.

In the same way, set apart a time of day in which you have two options: Interact with God or do nothing.

Don’t scroll through a social media feed.  Refrain from working on your grocery list or clipping coupons.  Don’t cut your time short.  Set an amount of time before you sit down and stay there until the time is up.

You can choose how you will interact with God.  You might read your Bible, worship in song, talk to him in prayer, practice silence and stillness, or soak in his love.

This kind of time opens your heart and mind to actually receive impressions from the Lord as you let his love wash over you.

14. Don’t let restlessness deter you.

Most of us have experienced an instance (or more) in which our quiet time felt boring (Read about my journey with this struggle here).

We get bored, and we conclude that God doesn’t have anything to say to us.  We close our Bibles and move on to the remaining tasks of our days.

I have learned that when I stay through restlessness, breakthroughs often take place on the other side.

I might read a passage I’ve read a dozen times, and I stare at the words feeling disconnected.  However, when I sit with the words and pray for them to come alive in my heart, God reveals himself in new ways.

Sometimes, I notice something I’ve never noticed before, and I spend the rest of my time studying the original language, journaling, or reading commentaries on the text.

Other times, I’m nudged to memorize a verse.  I write it down and post it where I’ll see it.

Best of all, I often experience deep and life-changing encounters with Christ when I push through restlessness.  He leads me to enter into the text, and I experience a healing touch in my soul.  He leads me to authentic praise, worship, and communion with him.

15. Improve your quiet time with God by arriving hungry.

A five-course meal is deeply satisfying to a hungry body.  However, when we show up at the table after filling ourselves with junk food, we don’t enjoy our meals. This is how it is with time with God.

Fill yourself up with all that this world offers for comfort, and your appetite will dwindle.

Instead, you will be hungry for God when you resist the urge to fill your days with worldly comforts.  Resist the urge to find comfort through excessive online shopping, comfort eating, or overindulging in social media or TV.

Also, make it a point to pray for spiritual hunger.  This is a prayer God will answer.

Here’s what it might look like to arrive hungry for God:

Open the pages of your Bible with a hunger to hear what God has to say to you every time you open it.

Worship God with a hungry heart, and he will meet with you.

Pour your heart out in prayer, and the Lord will minister to you.

Come hungry, and you will be fed.

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I don’t practice quiet time with God perfectly; however, I’ve learned that this time is not about performance.

I still catch myself making lists for the store and browsing online for new shoes for the kids.  However, I am learning to keep coming back to the practices I shared today.  Understanding the importance of quiet time with God has changed my life.  This time with God is my fuel for the day and food for my soul.

Stick With It:

Research suggests that sticking with any behavior for just over two months forms a new habit.  Whether you want to change your eating and exercise habits or make devotional time a part of your routine, stick with it for two months, and the behavior will become automatic—a habit.

Every day for the next two months, begin your day with the two steps above.  By the end of your two months, you will have a new habit.

Read here for tips on how to have quiet time with God. #prayer #devotions Share on X

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If these tips on how to have quiet time with God encouraged you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals and library of free devotional eBooks below.  These resources can help you get started.

Calling All Parents and Grandparents!

As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God.  Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision.  They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love.  You can find all three books here or read more below.

Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!

God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom.  Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world.  I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven!  You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord.  Find this life-changing devotional book here.

Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter

Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion.  I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven.  Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.

Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20.  It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing.  This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start.  Bekah and I will help you right here.

Find Our Family Devotionals Here

Find all three books right here.  They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial!  These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them.  Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.

Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone.  Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life.  Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here.  (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

A Free Online Devotional to Help You in Your Quiet Time

My free online devotional,  Mornings With Jesus, offers daily readings to help you connect with God.  The most exciting part of the devotional is the daily “Invitation to Encounter God and Begin Well.”  At the end of each reading, you are invited to actually encounter the Living God and create space for him to speak into your life.  Instead of asking $9.99, I’m offering this devotional for free with promo code JESUS for a limited time right here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free.  I invite you to explore the collection right here!