Quiet Time

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

 

Today’s Scripture comes to you courtesy of “Time with God” devotionals, you can read the full email devotion here (it’s very short but very enlightening). The past few devotions I have received from them in my email have been talking about making time for personal, quiet time with the Lord. Not “finding” time, “making” time. Today’s message was talking about the difference between meditating on His word and personal prayer time. Both are vital for spiritual growth, but they are not the same thing. In one devotion the writer even suggest locking yourself in the bathroom if that is the only place you can be guaranteed solitude for a few moments (how often have we heard the “mommy jokes” about doing just that for some peace and quiet?).

 

So I have been trying to do just that (quiet time, not locking myself in the bathroom). I know that for me, in order to have the quiet time I long for and need, I have to deny myself one of my favorite things in the world………..sleep. I cannot sleep in until my son wakes me up, I must get up at 5:00 am with my husband, no matter how well or poorly I slept the night before. And I must be consistent with this routine. After all, my son will not be going to school at 10:00 am, and I doubt I will find a job that doesn’t start until 11:00 am, so I might as well get used to early mornings now, right?

 

This desire for changing from a “night owl” to an “early bird” reminds me once again of 2 Timothy 1:7,

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (NIV)

 

Self discipline…..a God given spirit of self discipline. Time and time again I am reminded, I do not need to gain self discipline, it was instilled in me at my creation. While He was working the miracle of my life inside my mother’s womb, making my fingers and toes, eyes, ears, hair…he included self-discipline. For me to say “I don’t have the self discipline to get up at 5:00 am every morning” or “I wish I had the self discipline So-and-so had for working out regularly” is not of Christ. I truly believe it is a trick the devil uses to sidetrack me on my daily walk with my Saviour. I have started praying at night as I go to sleep, that God would help me use the self discipline he instilled in me to get up even if I don’t feel like it. Guess what? It worked.

I should not be surprised, I know that He wants to spend time with me even more than I can realize. He is the one calling out saying “I’m here, won’t you have a morning cup of coffee with Me?” and I am the one saying “I’m too tired…..I’m too busy”.

 

So, my food for thought for you today my reader(s) is this, instead of asking for self discipline, ask that you would use the self discipline He already gave you. It will not be easy, but then again how does that phrase go “Nothing ever worth having was gotten easily”?