A quiet time is a time set aside each day to talk to God (pray) and hear what God has to say back (read the Bible). Christians know that Quiet times are a Good Thing, but we struggle to find the time for them, and when we do find the time, we struggle to stay focussed while we pray and read.
Lately Ive been fortunate. The past few months Ive had two hours each working day on the train, so I dont really have to find the time. Never the less its only been since the beginning of the year that Ive finally started to use this time wisely. I had plenty of excuses for not making time for something so important, but they were all pretty weak in retrospect.
Here are my tips for a habit-forming quiet time. Im putting them up here as much for myself as others. I know Ill be struggling with quiet times again in the future.
The system I use in my quiet time is to first pray, and then read some from the Bible. I pray by writing down A, C, T and S on a piece of paper, three lines apart each. I then list 3 items for Adoring God, Confessing sin, Thanking God and Supplication. This site explains these four categories. As I list each item, I pray through it. The discipline of thinking of 12 things to tell God is helpful.
As for reading the Bible, Im a bit more haphazard and tend to dart off and look up different passages depending on what is on my mind that day. After reading through the passage, I meditate on it a little. Come to think of it, Im going to start explicitly asking God to help me understand what he is saying before I read a bible passage, and then thoughtfully pray through the passage afterward. Ask me how Im going with that next week.
Quiet times are really a Good Thing. Talking to someone is the best way to maintain your relationship with them, and God really wants to talk to you.