Spending Time with the Lord Before Your Day Begins
Mornings are my “me” time. I enjoy slow mornings, stretching in a cozy bed, sipping coffee, reading, and enjoying the morning glow. Realistically, we all live busy lives and slow mornings are rare unless we make an effort to plan them.
At the beginning of this year, I set an intention to develop a stronger morning routine. I wanted to create a rhythm of getting up and getting into the Word of God first thing in the morning. It is something I have struggled with in creating a solid routine. I believe reading God's truth and connecting with Him through prayer first thing in the morning can be transformational for my entire day. It focuses my mind, heart, desires, and plans on HIS WILL and to bring HIM GLORY, instead of my selfish wishes.
“I believe reading God’s truth and connecting with Him through prayer first thing in the morning can be transformational for my entire day. It focuses my mind, heart, desires, and plans on HIS WILL and to bring HIM GLORY, instead of my selfish wishes.”
In college, I would sit at my desk and spend hours digging into the Bible. This was the time in my life where I was just starting to truly seek the Lord with my whole heart and hours would go by while I discovered more and more of who God is. Post-college, my routine looks different. It’s taken an adjustment period to create healthier habits, especially since I was in stages of life with long-distance dating, engagement, a new city, new jobs, new friends, and a new church. Things were and always are changing, which meant my routine would look different than my college years. I’ve also had to remember that different isn’t bad.
I find great success in routine and repetition. This is where habit-building comes into play. Doing something over & over will help us create a habit. My goal isn’t to create this habit & then it be something that I just cross off my list. My intent is never to have my mornings be a duty. That's also not God's intent. He desires us to seek Him first, before all else (Matthew 6:33). He wants it to be fruitful, life-giving, & worshipful. There are a few things I try and incorporate into my routine that has helped me stay steadfast with the Lord.
There's no "right" or "perfect" way to connect with the Lord, but there are tips and tricks to help create a routine that is pleasing to God and will remain. God doesn't expect us to be perfect. That's why Jesus came: to live the life we could never live and to die the death that we deserve so that we can live in eternity with Him forever.
I am an application person and I want to provide you with things that you too can implement into your individual time with the Lord to create a lasting pattern. Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time.
Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time.
God doesn't expect us to be perfect. That's why Jesus came: to live the life we could never live and to die the death that we deserve so that we can live in eternity with Him forever.
Allocate a space.
For me, if I have a designated space where a certain activity takes place, I am much more likely to complete that activity. In my home, my space looks like this: a cozy living room with a fireplace, a bookcase filled with books, a vintage leather couch, and green velvet chairs. One of those chairs is where my morning quiet time takes place. I have an end table next to my chair with room for all my books, bibles, journals, & coffee! I have also seen Val Marie Paper mention a handy tray set up that contains all your books in one place.
Find good resources.
A good study bible, devotional, or book study can make all the difference. If you don’t want to invest a lot upfront, there are tons of great reading plans on the YouVersion Bible app. I also love BibleProject's youtube channel for book overviews and definitions in video form. Resources have helped me comprehend the Bible more fully. It can be confusing at times, understanding the context, culture, author, and intended hearers can be immensely helpful. You can also check out a few of my other favorite resources listed on my P's Picks page.
Seek out accountability.
Everything is more fun with a friend! Whether it’s your spouse, BFF, neighbor, or church mentor/mentee, seeking out accountability will help you stay the course. Share what you’re reading, learning, or applying. I have also sent photos of my journal notes to spur on conversation. There will be days when you don’t want to sit down and take the time to read, pray, and worship and having a support system helps. I have days when I am not feeling as motivated to do it, but once I do, I'm always left feeling encouraged. And the best news? There’s always abounding grace for you, friend (Romans 5:18-21)!
Have fuel.
We can’t fully lean in until we have met our basic needs! Sleep is so important! I think we all know this and have heard it preached, but being well-rested will only help us in life. I also love sipping a drink while I do my quiet time. For me, it's usually warm coffee with a scoop of collagen and a splash of half and half, but matcha, tea, lemon water, or a smoothie can give you a little extra boost you might need! Once you’ve chosen your drink of choice, let’s cozy into our spot and dive in!
Pray and worship.
Don’t hear me wrong, friend. Spending time in the Word is great, but we have to then respond with prayer and worship. This tip has taken my morning time with God to a whole new level! After attending an amazing retreat at the end of last year, I learned that my heart yearns for worshipping God through song! I have a few songs and artists that speak to my heart and connection with the Lord and compile them into a playlist. That way, I can easily hit “play.” Worship can look different for you than it does for me, and this is perfectly okay! Prayer is another way to grow in intimacy with Our Creator. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8. I like to use the popular acronym ACTS when approaching prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. These four topics help me to focus on how to talk with God. I can say as a personal testament, that this comes more naturally with time. The more you worship and pray, the stronger this habit will become.
Okay, let’s take action!
Now that we are armed with tips to help us create a morning routine, let’s put them into action!
Step 1: Find the resource or study you want to start digging into.
Step 2: Set your alarm for 20 minutes earlier. Being proactive and making time is a huge step in the right direction.
Step 3: Text a friend to join you! On the Bible app I mentioned, you can do studies with friends by inviting them. There is a conversation or response section at the end of the daily study that invites conversation.
Step 4: Get to bed early, wake up, grab your morning cup of brew, find your spot, and dig in!
Step 5: Rinse and repeat!
I truly pray these tips and action steps to help you to flourish in your morning quiet time with the Lord. Also, I would love to hear what helps you create a morning routine in the Word!
xoxo,
Paulina
