Quiet Time With God Is Not Extra Credit
Remember when grade school homework assignments came with optional extra credit? If you solved the bonus algebra problems you could get 10 more points on the overall assignment. Or, if you visited the Ancient Egyptian Civilization exhibit at the local museum and wrote a report on it, you could boost your grade for the quarter in History. Unfortunately, I think a lot of us believers feel the same way about our quiet time with God. We pat ourselves on the back for completing the “main assignment:” attending church each Sunday, maybe listening to some worship music in the background during a drive– but we go throughout the week without any real substantive one-on-one time with the Lord. Let me just say this: quiet time with God is not optional. It is not extra credit. It is absolutely crucial to the development of our spiritual maturity.
In this blog, we’ll look at why a quiet time with God is so important, what we can learn from followers of God in the Bible who made this a practice, and how to prioritize it in our own lives.
We see a pattern in Scripture of followers of God withdrawing to spend time alone with Him. Jesus Himself also did this.
Moses:
In Exodus 33:7-11, we read about Moses setting up the "tent of meeting" outside the camp, and he would go there to speak with God face to face. This was a place of intimate communion with God.
Elijah:
After defeating the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled to the wilderness, where he spent time alone with God. In 1 Kings 19:9-18, he encountered God in a still, small voice.
David:
Many of the Psalms, written by King David, reflect his personal times of seeking God in solitude and prayer. For example, Psalm 63 expresses David's longing for God in the wilderness.
Jesus:
Jesus frequently withdrew to solitary places to pray and commune with His Father. In Matthew 14:23, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. In Luke 5:16, it is noted that "he often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."
John the Baptist:
John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, where he prepared the way for Jesus. His choice of solitude and a simple lifestyle reflected his dedication to God's mission (Matthew 3:1-4).
Paul:
The Apostle Paul, while not seeking solitude in the wilderness like some of the Old Testament figures, often spent time alone in prayer and reflection. His letters in the New Testament, such as Ephesians and Colossians, are filled with prayers and reflections on his relationship with God.
Do you have a meeting place with God? Maybe a spot or two you can go to regularly for intimacy with God? Personally, there’s something about my prayer closet that brings about precious moments with the Lord. For you, it could be driving to a nearby park and finding retreat in your car. Ideally you want to find a quiet place where you can be still and sensitive to what God might be trying to share with you. If you’re in a season of life where alone time is extremely rare to find, writer and mom of 3, Phylicia Masonheimer shares a lot of practical tips on this.
Read Next: How to Have a Quiet Time With God
Moses, Elijah, David, Jesus, John the Baptist, and Paul all needed quiet time with God and we need it also. Here’s why:
What makes Christianity different from other religions, is that God wants relationship with us. He is our father and our friend. And the same way it’s important to make time for people in our lives who are important to us– to check in, to open up, to enjoy one another’s company– it is even more important to make time for our Heavenly Father.
When we pause our busy lives to turn our attention to Him in prayer, worship, and Bible study, we’re saying:
“I need you God.”
“I long to get to know you.”
“I want to be close to you.”
“I have faith in you.”
“I depend on you.”
“I love you.”
And nothing makes God’s heart smile more than knowing His kids love Him back. 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.’ —Matthew 22:37-38
You can probably tell the difference within yourself when you’ve spent time with God and when it’s been a while. When we try to live without Him, we often feel depleted of joy and peace. Withdrawing to be with Him in the quiet reminds us that He’s our source. Our sustainer. The vine.
John 15:1-11…
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
It’s very common for your dedicated time with God to get lost in the shuffle of all the other things that crowd your week. You may have every intention to pray or read the next chapter in the book of John, but an unexpected phone call takes you off track and then it’s time to start dinner, and before you know it you’re falling asleep with your phone in one hand about to hit the floor. Over time, this bad habit can make you forget that this sacred time with God is even necessary or significant, and you might get comfortable doing the bare minimum to not feel like a complete letdown. While spiritual disciplines are not a means to salvation or a way to earn God’s love and approval, they are there for a reason and I believe each of us has a personal responsibility for our spiritual growth.
The moment you gave your life to Christ, you were justified. That means God deemed you, a sinner, righteous because of your faith in Him. The second stage is a process God takes us through called sanctification. This is how we mature as believers. There’s a scripture in Hebrews about baby’s milk vs. solid food. I’ll leave it below in the Message Version.
“I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.” Hebrews 5:11-14
Quiet time with God is one of the ways we can evolve as Christians. It’s one thing to be saved, it’s another to continually be transformed into the image of God and that only comes through submitting to His will. And the surest way to know His will? Spend time in His Word. Spend time seeking His presence. Spend time worshipping and praying. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8
How to prioritize a quiet time with God if you’re struggling
Assess how often you’re spending time per week in solitude with the Lord, and see if you can “up it.” i.e. If it’s currently zero times a week, try one time a week for 20 minutes. If it’s currently daily quiet time for 2 minutes reading the Bible app’s scripture of the day, try to spend 10 extra minutes reading it in another translation, looking up the context, and thanking God for His Word in prayer.
Grab a friend to go through a devotional with you and become accountability partners. Hosanna Revival has great devotionals and you can get them for 10% off using this link.
Consider switching up the way you’re spending time with God if you’re feeling unmotivated. Infuse fun into your routine with the Creative Quiet Time Journal 2nd Edition: 30 prompts & activities to encounter God daily.
By now, it should be clear to you why it’s crucial to our spiritual maturity to sit with God regularly to seek Him. Be careful not to get too complacent that you think it's superfluous to spend sacred quiet time with God. Remember this: You can have as much (or as little) of God as you want. It’s up to you.
