A Helpful Look at Your “Quiet Time” Motives
Last summer, I found myself studying books and Bible passages that resonated around a certain theme. It seemed clear that the Holy Spirit wanted me learning and growing in one specific area, and so I spent time each day reading and praying about this. As the days went by and summer neared its end, I found myself waiting for one big hit-me-over-the-head revelation. It felt like my summer time with the Lord must have been leading toward something huge He wanted to teach or reveal to me. But I waited and waited, and while I continued learning bits and pieces, nothing super dramatic was deposited from on high.
Well, actually, maybe something was….
As I was on a walk one day, I thought about one of my closest friends. We’ve worked together at the same school for years. We have also traveled together, embarked on many adventures over the years, and just lived life side by side for more than a decade. One thing we enjoy is sitting at coffee shops together. Sometimes we take books or work to do, but most of the time, we just sit and chat. While there are days when our conversations have a specific goal or end in mind, more often than not, we simply sit and shoot the breeze. There’s no ulterior motive to being together; we just enjoy one another’s company.
So, of course, that made me stop and think about how I approach my time spent with God. Do I sit in His presence with an ulterior motive in mind? Am I always opening my Bible with the expectation that the Holy Spirit will point me toward a life-changing revelation? When I communicate with the Lord through prayer, am I talking to Him only because I need Him to talk back to me in a certain way and/or with a certain answer or message? How often do I sit with Jesus and simply relish in His presence?
Oddly enough, I think this was the thing God wanted me to learn this summer. I had been studying all about the spiritual practice of silence and solitude, and as I practiced some of the techniques and methods I was learning, I found myself expecting God to meet me with dramatic unveilings during this set aside time. And while God certainly does unveil incredible wisdom and new revelations about Himself, His Word and His work in our lives, I wonder if He wants us to always approach Him with a transactional mindset? God, I’ll give you this time, and You’ll give me the perfect piece of mind-blowing wisdom that will dramatically impact my current circumstance.
Or… When was the last time you sat down in a quiet place with the Lord with a mindset of presence—and nothing more? In a time like this, you can just think about God’s attributes, read through psalms, thank Him for things in your life, or choose a phrase to repeat over and over. Maybe one of these:
- I love you, Lord.
- You are worthy!
- Thank you for sustaining me.
- You keep your promises.
- You are ________ (insert attribute).
- Etc.
I wonder how much joy it brings God when we just want to spend time with Him with no ulterior motive? Now don’t get me wrong, God also loves it when you bring your questions, needs, concerns, worries and doubts to Him. And I surely think that He loves it when we enter His presence with great expectations of how He will meet us and speak to us. But boy oh boy, how He must also love it when we turn our attention to Him just to simply be with Him.
If my friend always felt like I met up with her at coffee shops because I wanted/needed something from her, I’m guessing some of the pure joy and pleasure in our friendship would disappear. I know God loves His children unconditionally. He is excited anytime we turn our attention toward Him for any reason. But what joy and pleasure it must bring Him when we are satisfied to just be in His presence.
And what about you? If it’s not your typical ‘practice’ to spend time with Jesus simply to treasure Him, I wonder how your love for the Lord might mature and grow if you did this more intentionally! You may learn to know Him at a much deeper level. You may even find yourself increasingly hungry to be in His presence. Perhaps you’ll find yourself echoing the words of David:
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. -Psalm 16:11
Because we live in a transactional world, this kind of approach to time spent with God might feel awkward at first. But I challenge you to give it a chance. Set aside a little time to be in His presence without expecting to come out of that time with all of the answers to your greatest questions and challenges. Instead, embrace the beauty of being in the presence of the Lord. Let His presence and His presence alone be a pathway to life, joy and eternal pleasure.