If we care about someone, then we want to spend time with him or her. We do activities together, talk to one another, share meals, and continue learning more about each other. Close friendships, families, and marriages all have this in common: time together.
The same is true for our relationship with the Lord. We will not grow closer to our Savior if we do not spend time with Him.
That’s why so many believers establish a daily quiet time – a specific, daily routine in which they prepare their hearts to listen to the Lord, pray, and read His Word. Depending on the person’s schedule, he or she might do this in the morning, afternoon, or evening. The important thing is not necessarily the time of day or length, but to regularly spend time with the Lord.
Such a practice is not something believers do to check off their spiritual checklists. It is a way to invest in their relationship with the Lord, to live the abundant life that Jesus promised (John 10:10). Benefits abound when we devote ourselves to practicing a daily quiet time.
1. Cultivates a Deeper Love for the Lord
All the benefits of a daily quiet time stem from one vital aspect – love for the Lord. Scripture tells us that our greatest purpose, which fulfills the law, is to love the Lord wholeheartedly (Mark 12:30). And this love will naturally overflow into love for others (Mark 12:31).
Quiet time each day spent in the presence of our Savior leads us deeper into our relationship with Him. We learn more about Him and how He works, and as we do, we find ourselves more in love with the One who died to save us. For we cannot help but adore the Lord if we know Him.
So, if we are struggling to understand God’s character or have been falling into lapses of viewing Him as some distant, cold Lord, then daily time spent with Him can help reignite our former captivation. Our love for Him will grow as we sit at His feet and learn from Him.
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2. Prioritizes Time with God
When we clear out our schedules and set aside a specific time of day to focus on the Lord, we are making a direct statement: our relationship with God is a priority. Yes, there are other things to complete. We have jobs, families, meals to prepare, chores to finish, and other commitments.
As important as these things are, our relationship with the Lord is the most significant. He is the One for whom we were made. Our greatest joy comes by knowing Him and being known Him (Philippians 3:8). As the psalmist Asaph wrote, God should be the One we desire “more than anything on earth” (Psalm 73:25, NLT). And by engaging in a daily quiet time with the Lord, we do just that by putting first things first.
In addition to prioritizing time with God, we also benefit by establishing vital regular rhythms. A daily quiet time enables us to mark our days by communion with our holy and loving Lord. Our relationship with Him, then, becomes a habit that has the power to form and mold us – because we are shaped by the rhythms we follow in life. The more we spend time with our Lord, the more we will begin to imitate Him, as He calls us to do (Ephesians 5:1).
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3. Creates Space to Reorient our Lives on the Lord
There are many voices in life vying for our attention. Every day, we see ads on the screens of our devices, read the words of others, and absorb information from people and sources around us. These messages try to convince us to cherish certain values or to place our focus on acquiring goods. But these philosophies and beliefs are not merely trying to draw our eyes or ears. They desire our hearts.
That’s why spending regular time with God is essential, because when we do so, our focus is reoriented on the Lord. Of course, there are many areas of life that demand our attention. However, daily quiet time reminds us that we are meant to seek God’s Kingdom above all else (Matthew 6:33). It invites us into a space where we can close the door on all the noise of the world and instead listen to the One who spoke creation into existence (Genesis 1).
As we take time each day to pray and read the Bible, or just sit in awe of our Savior, our priorities shift back into their proper places. Christ is the One we live for, work for, and long to see return. Lesser issues fall away in light of the magnificence of Jesus.
When we practice a daily quiet time, we find the words of the old hymn to be true: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, /Look full in His wonderful face, /And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, /In the light of His glory and grace.”
4. Refreshment and Rest
We all need rest. God created us with the need for sleep and food to show us that we are not independent and self-sufficient. We need the help of others to meet our needs, especially the Lord God.
And we need more than merely a place to sleep or a plate of food. We also need spiritual sustenance. During His temptation, our Lord said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, NIV). Humans were created with the need to be nourished by a relationship with the Lord – a relationship that must be cultivated through intentional time spent talking and listening to God.
A daily quiet time enables us to receive this type of nourishment. We enter the Lord’s presence and find strength for our daily lives, following the example of Christ, who regularly spent time with the Father in solitude (Luke 5:16; 6:12). The Christian walk requires the spiritual refreshment that communion with God provides.
Not only does time spent with God give us spiritual fuel for the day, but it also allows us to rest. Jesus still invites weary individuals to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30). We can go to Him regardless of the time of day to receive the rest our souls crave because He is always available and ready to receive us. Daily quiet time enables us to carve out time to rest in His love and presence – something that we all long for and need.
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5. Promotes Regular Bible Reading and Prayer
All the responsibilities and commitments in life can leave little room for other activities. Lots of us are overscheduled with tasks, and we struggle to fit in Bible reading or prayer into the slower moments of life. Partly because of the lack of time, but also because there seem to be more appealing ways to fill these moments, like watching a new show or scrolling on social media.
Establishing a routine of spending time with the Lord helps us to begin praying and reading Scripture more consistently. There is no longer a question of how to squeeze a verse or quick prayer into our packed days. Rather, we have already set aside space in our schedules to be still before the Lord, listen to His Word, and talk to Him.
Such benefits multiply when we remember that regular Bible reading and prayer are essential as we follow the Lord. Throughout Scripture, there are examples of faithful followers who committed God’s Word to heart and mind. They meditated on the Bible day and night, allowing it to lead their choices and actions (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-2; 119:105). Along with engagement of Scripture, they also devoted themselves to prayer (Daniel 6:10; Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). If we want to be faithful followers, then a daily quiet time can assist us in regularly spending time with the Lord, which will, in turn, help us better obey Him.
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6. Builds Greater Trust in the Lord
The more we fellowship with our Lord, the more we will understand His character. We will see how loving He is by reading about His great grace and compassion in Scripture, most evident in the cross (1 John 3:16). The Lord will surprise us with how he answers prayers – sometimes in surprising ways that leave us breathless. And from our experiences and study of His Word, He will prove Himself faithful. We will understand that our God is trustworthy.
For example, when we read about how the Lord sustained Israel throughout their wilderness wanderings, we will come away with a stronger sense of God’s provision and faithfulness (Exodus 16:4; Deuteronomy 29:5). We will see how He remained faithful to them even as the Israelites went astray. So, when trials come, we will stand firm in faith, knowing that the Lord is trustworthy. He remains faithful even if we wander away from Him (2 Timothy 2:13).
Such trust, though, only comes if we commit ourselves to knowing the Lord more deeply. We must invest in spending time with Him, which we can do by practicing a daily quiet time.
7. Encourages Spiritual Growth
We cannot expect to grow spiritually if we are not remaining close to our Lord. As Jesus said, “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, NIV). He is the One who works to make us mature, producing fruit in us through the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). A regular time of communion each day with the Lord encourages this growth because we intentionally stay close to the Vine.
The other disciplines associated with a daily quiet time, like prayer, Bible reading, and meditation, are also linked with greater spiritual growth. Scripture is not only something we read for knowledge; it has the power to transform and equip us (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). Likewise, prayer is not merely the act of talking to the Lord. It also motivates us to serve the Lord and live in obedience in Him.
What we invest our time in and turn our thoughts to each day influences how we live. A daily quiet time allows us to walk with the One who is Lord of all, and focus on His words and ways. As we spend time with Him each day, we will begin to grow to reflect Him in our everyday life. We will look more like the One we love most.
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Originally published Thursday, 24 April 2025.