Unlock the potential of your day by meeting God in the quiet morning hours. Learn how this can enrich your spiritual journey.

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

Have you ever noticed that distractions come out of nowhere when you decide to start your day with Jesus? The kids wake up early, your phone dings, or you suddenly remember that thing you forgot to do yesterday?

If I don’t wake up before the world begins to move, I find it much more difficult to have my sacred time with God. That’s the whole purpose I started getting up so early. I wanted to spend unhurried, uninterrupted time with Him.

Meeting God

Even Jesus set aside time alone in the early morning to spend time with His Father. If He needed to make time, how much more do we? Time with God is not only a need. It becomes a yearning at some point in your walk with Him. I’ve realized that my longing for His presence grows as I spend more time with Him. It’s like a parched soul yearning for living water.

Let me just say this: If you don’t want to do it, you won’t find joy or meaning in it. The last thing we want to do is turn time with God into something legalistic. If we adopt that mindset, we become like the Pharisees. Instead, we need to hear the heart of the Father.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
-Revelation 3:20

He desires to spend time with us and delights in doing so. But it’s up to us to open the door when He knocks.

Why Does the Morning Matter?

When I start my day with my Heavenly Father (I often call Him Papa), it sets the tone for my entire day. I leave my burdens with Him, I soak in His goodness, and often I hear something He wants me to know. I also spend time praying for others.

Getting into His Word helps fill our minds with Truth before the world fills them with distractions. It’s become increasingly clear to me how proactive we need to be about renewing our minds and being steadfast in Truth. That’s why Jesus had to be alone with the Father. He strengthened Him for the day ahead; it muted the voice of his haters so He could hear God more clearly.

Start Small

Sometimes the thought of time in the Word or prayer can be overwhelming. We often think we need to start by spending an hour trying to talk to God. Alternatively, we might feel we need to read the Bible for an hour.

You don’t.

Start with 5-10 minutes. Begin by praying for God to touch your heart so that it is open to hearing Him. If you struggle to focus, use a prayer journal to channel your thoughts to God. A prayer journal is such a powerful tool, especially in our age of distractions.

Prepare your quiet time the night before. Set the coffee. Lay out your Bible, notebook/journal, and pen. (I also keep a throw blanket nearby during the winter months.)

And don’t worry! God isn’t waiting to scold you. He will be delighted to be with you! He doesn’t guilt, shame, or manipulate you. He just waits patiently.

Father, thank you for the gift of your presence. You gave your Son in death so we could live fully with you. Help us understand the beauty and freedom of that. Give us a desire to set aside intentional time to just be with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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