7 Meaningful Ways to Have Quiet Time with God (with Free Printable)

Spending quiet time with God is a great way to start your day. The busyness of life can heavily weigh on us emotionally, physically, and spiritually. 

That is why setting aside uninterrupted time away from the hustle and grind of life to sit quietly with the Lord is a powerful way to restore our souls.

Why is Quiet Time with God Important?

Spending time with God is important because it gives us time to reflect, rest, and renew our minds and hearts according to God’s Word. In the Gospels we learn that Jesus rose early in the morning while it was still dark. 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 

Mark 1:35

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jesus tiptoed around his companions and went to a quiet place. No one else was around. In his secret, solitary sanctuary, he had precious moments alone with his Father. 

There is something special about meeting with God in the morning that Jesus valued–and it is definitely worth our time as well.

On a beautiful spring or summer morning, creation is filled with life. Sparrows sing a greeting to the rising sun. The air is crisp, inviting a fresh start to a new day. 

Each morning welcomes a new beginning. A new start. A clean slate. The past blunders from yesterday have been washed away, and a new day awaits us. 

This is one of the reasons why I love Lamentations 3:22-23,

Spending Quiet Time with God Gives us Rest

Jesus not only rose in the morning to enjoy fellowship with God, but also because he needed rest. During the day, he and his disciples were often bombarded by crowds of people vying for his attention.

Jesus often traveled on foot with his disciples from place to place, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those he met along the way. 

To say he was exhausted is a definite understatement. Spending quiet time with God away from other people allowed Jesus to take a break from the physical and emotional demands of ministering to others. 

If Jesus felt the need to step away from the busyness of life to spend time with God, we can certainly learn from his example and do the same!

Spending Time with God Eliminates Distractions

One of the best ways to eliminate distractions like social media and other online platforms is to spend time with God in the morning before getting on our phones. 

Decide what time you need to get up in the morning, and be sure to leave your phone in another room during your devotional time. If you want to use your phone to turn on worship music, or if you like to listen to Scripture through an app, make sure that you do not use your phone for any other purposes. 

You can even temporarily put your phone on “do not disturb” while you do your devotional reading and prayer time, then turn your notifications back on after you have finished. 

This kind of structure in your morning routine will greatly help you stay connected to the Lord!

Spending Time in God’s Presence Gives us Time to Pray

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 

Luke 5:16

Jesus spent time alone with God not only to rest and recharge, but to pray. 

But why did Jesus need to pray? Since he is God, doesn’t he already know all things? After all, he is “the Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15) 

If all things were created through him, why would he need anything from God? 

This lets us know that prayer is much deeper than mere words of supplication. Prayer is a powerful way to connect with God and to enjoy fellowship with him. He desires that we spend time with him like a close friend (Proverbs 18:24). 

Jesus prayed to God to remain in fellowship with him, and we can also use prayer as a way to draw closer to him.  

When Should I Have Daily Quiet Time with God?

Should we only spend time with God in the mornings? What if we are night owls? 

There are times in Scripture when Jesus rose early in the morning to spend time with God, but we also know that he prayed in the evening, like when he spent all night praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion (Matthew 26:36).

In the Psalms there are many references to spending time with God in the morning. But there are also times when the psalmists sought the Lord in the evening. 

Here are a few examples below:

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7

Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Psalm 17:3

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:8

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night… Psalm 92:1-2

According to these Scriptures, we can spend time with the Lord in the morning or at night. In fact, Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means that we can talk to the Lord any time during the day or night!

Whether you choose to spend quiet time with God in the morning or in the evening, do what is best for you and your schedule, and bask in the wonderful presence of our great God.

Powerful Scriptures To Read During your Quiet Time with the Lord

Here are some encouraging Scriptures that you can use in your quiet time with God.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Psalm 23:1-3

Many of us are familiar with Psalm 23, and use this passage to pray for guidance when we need clarity and direction in our lives. 

The Lord truly is our Good Shepherd, and when we daily spend time with him, he refreshes our souls by the calm, quiet waters of his presence. When the hectic whirlwinds of busyness rob us of peace and joy, we can find rest for our souls through this serene passage.

But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Psalm 131:2

It may be strange for David in this psalm to compare himself to a small child, but imagine a young toddler who is well-fed, sleepy, and resting in the arms of his mother. This little one does not have a care in the world.

All is well as the child sits contentedly with his mother, allowing her soft voice to gently rock him to sleep. 

When we spend quiet time with God, we too can sit peacefully in his presence, unmoved and unfettered by the chaotic cares of this world. Spending time with God in prayer and in his Word gives us that gentle calm and quietness in our souls–like a weaned child with its mother.

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26

Are you waiting on God to come through regarding a specific situation in your life? We know that we already have eternal salvation through Christ (John 3:16), so when we spend time with God, we can wait quietly for the Lord in other areas of our lives. 

Perhaps you are waiting for a specific prayer to be answered. You might be waiting for wisdom and guidance to make an important decision. 

Whatever the reason, when we spend quiet time with God, we can put our hope in him and wait quietly for him to move in our lives. 

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 5:3

I love this Scripture because it reminds us that we can wait for the Lord expectantly to hear our prayers. God delights in us as his beloved children, and when we make spending time with God a priority, we will develop a closer relationship with him.

Praying to God will not seem like a duty or chore, but a special time with a close friend. 

We can wait expectantly for God to answer us because we know that he loves us and wants to hear from us (Hebrews 4:16).

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Mark 6:30-32

Jesus encouraged his disciples to find a quiet place to rest. This was right before Jesus performed the great miracle of feeding over 5,000 people (Mark 6:42-44).

Spending time with God away from others to rest is certainly important when you serve and minister to others. It is not selfish to take time away to refresh your body and soul.

It is a powerful way to honor God and create healthy boundaries with those you serve.

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 59:16

Spending quiet time with God also reminds us that he is our fortress and refuge. When we experience a challenging season, we can take great comfort in the fact that God is with us, and will never leave or forsake us. 

When we find ourselves in those difficult seasons, spending time with God gives us hope, encouragement, and strength to persevere. Praise God that he is our refuge in times of trouble!

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8

Like in Psalm 23, David is seeking the Lord’s face for direction and guidance. He expressed his confidence, trust, and hope in the Lord. We can also spend quiet time with God in the morning by writing out our prayers and asking him for direction in a specific area of our lives. 

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.

John 15:4

When we remain in the Lord, we choose to gather our strength, wisdom, and sustenance from him–the Vine. 

Jesus in this passage instructed his disciples on how remaining in him would allow them to stay connected to him. There is no better way to do this than to spend time with him through prayer and Bible study.

Apart from him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Seven Meaningful Ways to Have Quiet Time with God

Even if you are not a “morning person”, there are great benefits to giving our Savior the firstfruits of our day.

Here are seven ways to have a meaningful quiet time with God in the morning.

1. Find a Solitary Place

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 

Luke 5:16

You may live in a house full of people or work in a crowded environment. Despite the hustle and bustle of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he often withdrew from the noise of his surroundings to find a quiet, solitary place. If you are able to, find a secluded place in your house that can be your secret meeting place with the Lord.

It could be your living room, bedroom, or even a walk-in closet! When I used to work as a curriculum editor, on nice days I would slip out of the office for a ten minute break and walk around our building to spend time talking with God.

Wherever you decide, make sure that it is a quiet place to read, reflect and pray.

2. Prepare your Favorite Beverage

Have you ever made plans to meet with a friend at a coffee shop or bakery just to chat? We as people love to connect with others face-to-face over a hot beverage. You can bring the coffee shop to your house by preparing your favorite beverage, and plan to meet with Jesus!

I love planning the night before for my “coffee dates” with the Lord, and the anticipation of spending time in the Word over a hot beverage is just delightful. If you are able to wake up a few minutes earlier than the rest of your family, you can prepare a cup of coffee or tea to enjoy with God before everyone else gets up.

Those moments will give you a great jump start on your day!

3. Sing Songs of Praise

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 59:16

Singing songs of praise is a wonderful way to usher in God’s strength and power to conquer the day. There is great power in praise, and what better way to defeat the enemy’s schemes than through praise and worship in the morning!

Here are some great songs to reflect on or sing in the morning.

Click on the highlighted song titles to have a listen!

I love this version of Goodness of God by CeCe Winans.

I LOVE the Good Morning song by Mandisa–this song will get anyone moving in the morning!

The song Give Me Jesus by Fernando Ortega (and another version by Danny Gokey) is such a wonderful song to reflect on the the morning–definitely one of my favorites!

Give Me Jesus by Danny Gokey is on his Christmas album, but it is worth it just for this song!

4. Read a Psalm

Reading a Psalm in the morning is a great way to orient your soul before the day begins. They are often quick, reflective passages that only take a few minutes to read, and will fill your heart with the truth and power of God’s Word.

Here is a free 14-day Scripture reading plan you can download that has many Psalms to reflect on in the morning. Just click on the button below to download!

5. Write Scripture

If you have a few moments while you read, write down a couple of verses from a particular passage that really spoke to you. Writing down scripture is a great way for the words to sink into your soul, helping you to remember the verses to recall for later.

6. Read an Inspiring Devotional

Reading a short devotional can be a great way to get the Word in your heart in the morning before heading off to work or school. The nature of daily devotions are to give you bite-sized pieces of God’s Word in the form of stories or reflections to help you chew on and digest Scripture.

You can always go back to certain passages of Scripture later for deeper study.

Here are some great devotionals!

Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are by Shauna Niequist

Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in is Presence by Sarah Young

He Holds My Hand: Experiencing God’s Presence and Protection by Carol Kent

Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

7. Spend Time in Prayer

Prayer is such a sweet time of talking with God. Having a few moments of uninterrupted time with the Lord in prayer is a powerful way to connect with God.

That’s why I created a prayer resource dedicated to carving out a few moments in our mornings to pour our hearts out in prayer. Short on time?

Pray in the car. Running late with the kids?

Ask the Lord for His supernatural strength to shine through those hurried moments.

A Prayer to Grow in my Personal Relationship with Christ 

Heavenly Father,

I come before you in prayer on this beautiful day.

Thank you for the gift of a brand new day, and I praise you that your mercies are new every morning.

Teach me how to spend time with you as part of my morning routine as I seek to grow spiritually each day.

Give me the strength to remove distractions in my life that take my focus off of you.

Help me to remember that abiding in you through prayer, Bible reading, and other spiritual disciplines are the best ways to connect with you each day.

May my daily time with you strengthen my soul as I experience peace, hope, and joy in your presence.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Conclusion

Spending quiet time with God is a wonderful way to recharge and rejuvenate your soul. I hope these ideas on how to spend time with God in the morning will give you inspiration to grow in your relationship with him each day!

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Seven Powerful Hymns to Sing in your Quiet Time

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