Struggling with Quiet Time

I think everyone struggles with getting their 'quiet time'  done every once in a while. (At least, I kind of  I hope so, otherwise I'll feel like a heathen pagan!) Whether it's a physical hindrance, such as finding time, or an emotional barrier, such as desire, we all have times where we find ourselves exhausted at the end of the day and realize we haven't read our Bibles yet.

There have been times when I locked myself in the bathroom, (trying to block out the sound of screaming children on the other side of the door), just to be able to have 5 minutes of peace reading a Psalm. It's hard to have peace with God when the anxieties of all my daily tasks I have yet to get done are constantly running through my mind.

Over the years, I have gone through many different seasons of 'quiet times.' I have done the getting up extremely early route - only to rush through my reading in order to go back to sleep, and I have tried to read at night - again, only to be too tired and either skip it or skim it.

A few years ago, I went through a phase where I would not eat anything until I had done my reading. I attempted to do this while my kids had their breakfast. There were days when this worked, but for the most part, I was distracted by trying to keep them occupied - serving them seconds, getting them something to drink, etc... and soon that ceased to work as well. This approach might work now that my kids are older and are more independent. But there were also days when I wanted us to enjoy breakfast as a family, and on those days, reading while they ate was not an option.

With younger kids, especially infants, it's hard to plan a schedule around their needs. When I had a baby in the house, my quiet time would come at any point during the day - morning, nap time, after bedtime...whenever it was convenient.

Yes, Elijah's Bible is upside down!

Over the years, I've learned that the way I approach my time with God can be the deciding factor in whether I'm consistently seeking Him out through His Word or if my reading drops off the radar. It can't be something that I do in order to 'check it off my list' of daily tasks. It has to be something I want and look forward to. But in reality, that's not always the case. However, I have found that when I am obedient to go to His Word, then He is gracious enough to meet me and reveal things to me - always leaving me amazed at the scriptures afterwards.

It has only been in the past two years that I have been consistently in the Word on a predominantly daily basis. (not consistent in the time/place I do my reading - but doing it at some point throughout the day.) Don't get hung up on the logistics. I used to feel bad for not being able to get up in the morning to have my 'quiet time.' Sure, morning devotionals are a great way to start your day off, but it's not the only way.

Right now, I am in a fantastic routine that was put in place by my wonderful husband. My kids are older now and we encourage them to have their own personal quiet times. Even though my five year old can't fully read, he spends time looking at the pictures in his Action Bible. We all do our quiet time together. We wake up and spend the first part of our morning routine having individual quiet time in the same room.

This allows me to read without the distractions of making sure the boys are behaving. Also, it encourages accountability with my family and establishes a solid foundation in teaching my kids the value of personal Bible reading time. Once we finish our quiet time, my husband usually leaves for work and then the kids and I do a devotion together at the breakfast table.

So, if you're struggling to find a time or a desire to read your Bible daily, know that everybody else does too.

How do you do your quiet time? If there are any other tips out there,  I'd love to hear them!