How to Have a Quiet Time When You Don’t Have Time
6 steps to feed your soul and how to have a quiet time when life gets in the way and you long for spiritual nourishment but don't know where to find it.
Are you struggling with how to have a quiet time when you don't have time?
Me too.
I am in a season of life where I long for spiritual nourishment but have a hard time getting it. I yearn for fellowship with other ladies, but Bible Studies to feed my soul are not always possible with my husband's work schedule, trying to find childcare, and occasionally sick children. Not to mention it's just plain hard to get everyone out the door.
I have to remind myself that this is just a season. It won't last forever. I'll look back and wonder where my littles went. The days are long but the years are short.
It's up to me to be spending time reading my Bible, listening to other solid teachings, worshipping the Savior at home, and learning about core doctrines. These coupled with Sunday morning teachings will help me get through those rough days that come. And believe me, I need it every day, but especially on the tough days.
But how in the world do you make time to study and spend time in the Word with all the other responsibilities you have and little ones underfoot? It's not easy, but you have to maximize the time you do have. Multi-tasking at it's best.
How to Have a Quiet Time When You Don't Have Time
Let the kids watch an educational video while you read your Bible. While it might not be ideal, but it serves its purpose. You get time in the Word and your children learn something. We watch LeapFrog DVDs, educational shows that we find on Netflix, and sometimes we change it up and watch Sofia the First, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, or Little Einsteins.
While your folding laundry, instead of turning on the television, listen to a podcast from a Biblically-based pastor or teacher. You can also play the podcast in the background while the kids are playing. They may not understand everything being taught, but God's Word never returns void. Here are some good ones I recommend: Life Fellowship Church, North Wake Church, Matt Chandler, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and David Platt. There are some great sermons in that mix. You won't be disappointed.
Listen to worship music during the day. If you don't want to purchase a bunch of albums on iTunes, you can always listen to Pandora. Our days seem to go much smoother when I play worship in the background rather than having the television playing in the background. We listen to our Seeds Worship CDs, or the following Pandora channels: Enter the Worship Circle, Kari Jobe, Lyndsay Taylor, and Christian Rock.
Let go of social media. So many times, social media becomes an escape or a filler. We have a few minutes so we hop on our phone to check our email, the latest pictures on Instagram, the latest Tweet, or the latest Facebook status.
Then it sucks you in.
The next thing you know, you've been on a lot longer than you thought you would be. I know. I've been there. I have wasted so many precious minutes of my life checking out what is going on with other people. But it's not deep meaning stuff. It's what they ate for dinner, or whose kid took their diaper off and smeared poop all over the place. Seriously, those minutes would have been better spent reading the Word. Even if it was just a few minutes.
Instead of reading the Bible on your phone, pull out the real book. You won't be tempted to check email or social media, and your children will see you reading your Bible and not think you're on Facebook or checking email. That right there is huge. I don't want my children to be confused about my loyalties. When I'm reading my Bible, I want them to know I'm reading my Bible.
Read books that challenge and grow you. Something other than children's books. Although these children's books about faith are excellent. While the most important book you should read is your Bible, there is room to supplement your readings.
Books like:
- Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology
- Bruce Ashford's Theology and Practice of Mission: God, the Church, and the Nations
- David Platt's Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream and Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live
- Francis Chan's Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
- New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp {EVERYTHING by Paul Tripp is a must read}
- Doubting Towards Faith by Bobby Conway
- Idols of the Heart and Good News for Weary Women by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
These are just the tip of the iceberg though. There are so many excellent books out there to help you preach the Gospel to yourself daily.
Surround yourself with Scripture. While this should never take the place of digging in and reading the Word, it's a nice supplement during the day. Especially for those trying moments when the toddler has smeared poop everywhere, painted the bathroom with your new make-up, or you're just having a bad day. Grab these free printables to decorate your home with Scripture.
This is at least a starting point.
What are some ways you feed your soul when you don't have the time?
I love your idea of listening to something while folding the laundry. Not only will it encourage and challenge me but my children will also be listening.
Exactly! So often I forget the simple things I can do during the day to not only encourage my heart but also to teach my children.
I spend a lot of time on a mower or tractor. My husband bought me a set of headphones that are for hearing protection and I can listen to music. I usually tune it to my favorite Christian station and listen to the encouraging music. I have the best uninterrupted conversations with The Lord when I mow.
That’s a great idea! It’s just you, the Lord, and lots of grass. A great way to multi-task.
Great post! Thanks for sharing your encouragement!
We have iTunes downloaded to the main household computer. There are several internet radio stations in there (Music/Radio/Religious) so you can change music genres with your mood! 🙂 We have them playing continuously (even when we’re not home) as a way to saturate the atmosphere of our home with the sounds of worship. A while back, we saved up for a narrated Bible in mp3 format that we added to our computer’s library as well. Some days, I’ll start it at Genesis 1 and let it play while I/we go about our day (I’ve even added it to my smartphone so I can use headphones at work & listen to the Bible while doing some of the more routine tasks at my desk.) While we don’t have children of our own, I’m noticing some of the kids from church wanting to hang out with us…I want to be able to pass on Biblical truths and have been convicted recently for being lax in my own reading & studying (there’s ALWAYS something else that fights us for our attention in this life, I’ve come to realize)…it makes a bigger difference once you realize there’s a generation coming up that needs godly examples in their elders — and they’re looking at us as adults in the church as those examples.
Thank you so much for sharing, Nancy! I love that the kids from your church want to hang out with you, and you provide a safe place for them come and learn more about Him. That is an amazing ministry.
Great ideas! I used to do so much better about the second and third suggestions, but have really gotten away from them in the past couple of years. I’ve been trying to do better in those areas recently and hope to be more consistent in 2014!
i appreciated the comment about using a BIBLE. There is something about knowing that you are literally holding the guidebook for life in your hands…it takes on real significance to me. Apps are fine sometimes, but I want to hold Gods Word.
Would love to hear your book list!
Reformation Network radio – listen.refnet.fm – is my favorite soul feeding source these days. I don’t have to take time to look up a sermon or download – just hit play and here R. C. Sproul or John Piper or audio Bible readings or lovely music. Plus it gives me more sense of schedule (I’m *very* non-scheduled) because of the daily programs coming on at a certain time.
Things often get so hectic it’s hard to find quite time good advice thanks
Life is crazy. I hope you found the tips helpful!
When Im having an stress overload I have a little trick. I pick up the bible and pray ask for guidance and just open up a random page. Ussually in the New Testament in the second half and tend find something relevent and conforting. Theres a lot of intreresting parts I find that contradict typical teachings in church and a lot of valuable words that aren’t included the well known quotes.