Reclaiming "Quiet Time" | An Introduction
Last week I had some great conversation with dear friends about "quiet time." A time that's devoted to solitude, prayer, and God's word--I suppose that for many, it's a time spent in the morning, at least it is for me. As we began to nerd out on the type of notebooks or journals we prefer, it quickly led to a place of conviction in our conversation as we realized we engaged in quiet time for the wrong reasons or simply not engage in it at all. To begin, I want to say (or type) that I am by no means awesome at having consistent quiet time. Additionally, as a pastor I often get asked about my thoughts on quiet time or how to best approach it. So, I decided to write a short series on quiet time mainly to reclaim this time of devotion because I think many, including myself, often miss the mark.
In order to reclaim this time, we must first define what this time doesn't do--that's a good place to start. The time you spend in the morning journaling, praying, and reading God's word is not the measure of your spiritual life; it's not a status. Often, I think we over spiritualize this formative discipline and see it as a metric to evaluate our standing before God. Our confidence in who we are doesn't lie in how many pages we journal or how early we're waking up, but in the finished work of Christ alone. Through Jesus, we have been reconciled to the Father; sonship. Quiet time isn't about performance but worship. Performance is the result of pride that's a false sense of confidence in Jesus.
On the flip side, reclaiming quiet time is not necessarily because we view ourselves as having "arrived," but quite the opposite. This is where I fall into. Quiet time is only approached until I have "cleaned up first" before approaching God in anything. In other words, I believe I need to be cleansed through works in order to approach this time with God. This is not a dependence on the grace of God rather a dependence through seeking righteousness in our works rather than the finished work of Jesus.
Your time that is spent alone with God should be intentional and for the purpose of worship; that is, a worship of who He is, what He's done, and how we are in need of Him. Time alone with God is an awareness of our need for Him because of our weakness and need for Jesus in everything. Your time that is spent alone with God does not promote you to a higher standard with God nor does it mean you need to be "clean," rather this time should humble us to boast in Christ alone.
In this short series, I want to write a little more about feeling like I/we need to "clean up" before approaching God during this time of devotion and I wish to write about what this time actually is--why it's important. Our theology on prayer and solitude or "quiet time" will fuel our philosophy which leads into our practice. I hope this short series encourages you; you're definitely not alone. I'll share a few suggestions and if you've learned anything along the way, whether through these posts or other resources, I'd love to hear them.
RECOMMENDED READING: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
