Habits. We all have them. Good and bad. Many of the bad habits we work hard to break, or at least reduce their influence in our lives. And we often set goals to build better habits into our lives in place of them. They are a key part of our lives, either way. And one of the most foundational spiritual habits that we can develop is hanging out with God.
Do you have what many people call a “quiet time” with God? I have never really liked that term. I always seem to associate “quiet time” with my mom wanting me to calm down so she could have some quiet. So she would send me off to be quiet for a while with a book or something.
Later, as I grew in my faith, I kept hearing people talk about “quiet times.” Frankly, that never appealed to me because of that association I had in my mind. When I later learned to call it something else, a whole new aspect of my relationship with God was opened up to me. I started to call it, “hanging out with God.”
After all, that’s what I do with my friends. That’s what I do with people from our church. That’s a big part of my life, really. I hang out with others. And because of that, those relationships are deepened and richer as a result. So why wouldn’t that work in my relationship with God?
It does.
I incorporate many different disciples into this time with God. I spend time in his Word. I pray. Often, I journal. Many times, I seek out a solitary place to simply be still before him. I utilize all kinds of ways to strengthen my relationship with God during this time.
The key part, though — and this is where the habit comes in — is that it has to be regular and consistent, and by that, I mean that this has to be a daily occurrence. Otherwise, I simply do not grow. And I suspect the same is true for most of us, if not all of us.
It is God’s desire that we grow in this relationship with him. He does not want us to reach a point where we simply plateau, or find a holding pattern. It’s a continual process. That means that our faith is more of a journey than an event in our lives. It will take time to form a solid habit that promotes such growth. But stick to it, because the efforts are well worth it.
Let me give you a couple of examples of what you will begin to see in your life when you make this habit a regular part of your life.
God will begin to change your heart.
Regular time spent with God will result in heart change, and then life change. That’s what God does. David stated this very clearly in Psalm 51:9-10, when he said: Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
God will provide direction for you life.
I looked at the statistics on my phone a few weeks ago, wondering what apps I use the most. My phone and text apps were at the top of the list, followed by my Bible app and social media. But the fifth one surprised me. It was my maps app. I use it all the time to find homes I’m visiting, or business I need to go to, or even to see just how long it is until I get home. It provides direction when I travel, and apparently, I use it a lot. That way I don’t have to guess where I’m going.
God does not leave us to guess what direction to follow in our lives. He has laid out a very clear direction for our lives, found in his Word. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate the Bible into your time with him. That’s primarily how he speaks to us. And the way we speak back? That’s prayer. And between the two, we get a clearer understanding of God’s direction for our lives.
Psalm 119:104-105: Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
God will support us when we struggle.
That might be in the form of a struggle with sin or temptation. It might come in the form of difficult circumstances, such as a health problem or a death of a loved one. He provides the comfort and strength that we need to continue to follow and serve him.
Paul gives us a very powerful promise from God in 2 Corinthians 1:4. He tells us of a God, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
That gives me the encouragement to stand strong, even in the face of difficult circumstances, because I know that God is with me, and he may be using this to help me be a resource for someone else later. That’s powerful!
Those are some very tangible benefits to making this a habit in our lives. But how do we actually accomplish this? I have three suggestions: First of all, make the decision that this will be a priority in your life. That is where you have to begin.
Second, find a regular time and place where you can be consistent in this. It might be early in the morning in your favorite recliner. Or it might be at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. If you have a regular time and place, that can help it to become a much more regular occurrence.
And third, don’t feel guilty when you miss a day or two. Simply get back into it. God isn’t keeping a checklist of consecutive days that you have made it to this time with him. So when you fall, simply get back up and give it another go. Don’t feel guilty, just love God, and rest in his love for you.
My prayer is that you would develop this habit in your life. It will make a difference, and you’ll never regret time spent with him.
Question: Do you have a regular time that you spend with God? If so, what has that done in your life? If not, what’s holding you back from starting this habit? You can leave a comment by clicking here.