If there’s such a thing as getting up on the wrong side of the bed, that’s what I did yesterday. I pretty much felt negative about everything that came up during the morning….and this was on a Sunday!! How thankful I am for a God who is faithful, longsuffering, and merciful!
Thankfully, I did take time to have my quiet time first thing in the morning. I struggled with my attitude even after those moments of prayer and Bible reading, but God was able to convict my heart about my sin.
Some mornings I might think my time could be better spent getting a head
start on my tasks for the day, but never could I find a better use for
my moments than praying and getting into God’s Word.
Here are five ways that my quiet time with God changes me.
1. It gives me a spiritual focus. Writing in my gratitude journal, reading a hymn story, praying for my family, and reading a portion of Scripture gives me, at least momentarily, an eternal perspective.
2. It plants God’s Word in my mind. I’ve been studying the life of Moses lately. Yesterday I read in Numbers 14:18 Moses’ plea for the children of Israel in which he reminds God, “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression....” Even though I didn’t apply that verse to my particular situation right away, it came back to my mind later in the day and encouraged me.
3. It puts proper priorities into my day. While having devotions early in the morning may not work for everyone, I find that I’m most likely to keep my “appointment” with God if I put it first in my day.
4. It allows me to turn my day over to the Lord and leave my burdens with Him. True, I may try to pick those same burdens up later in the day, but at least I start by seeking His guidance and trusting Him to undertake in my behalf.
5. It gives me a truth to reflect on throughout the day. Meditating on a verse – or even just a phrase – that I read can benefit me throughout the day You never know what God is preparing you for in the day ahead with the Scripture passage you read in the morning.
The fundamental disciplines of Bible reading and prayer are what help us grow daily in our walk with Christ. How blessed we are to have His Holy Spirit to reveal truths from the Bible and to intercede for us as we pray!
In what way does quiet time with God change you?
Along with these five things you listed, my quiet times change me by getting me to stop focusing on myself as I go through my prayer list, praying for others.
Yes – that's definitely true!!
I find I am usually more focused an on track throughout my day. If miss that time I always feel like I'm just spinning my wheels the rest of the day.
We're definitely not alone in occasionally having those mornings! 🙂 Thankful God can work with us anyway!!! 😀