That is basically how I've felt about quiet time spent in the Bible for the better part of a decade. I'm not proud of it. But it's never been something that really 'stuck' for me...in college there is no semblance of a routine...and the weird 'routine' that exists is SO INSANE. Classes, work, homework, sleep for five hours...repeat at a million miles per hour. I'm really not trying to make excuses, it was just a bad season to try and spend 30 minutes reading when there were friends! and coffee! and also your future is on the line so, you should probably be applying for jobs!
Backing up even farther...high school was just a terrible time to attempt daily or even semi-regular quiet time reading the Bible. Up at 5:30am for dance practice and ending the day at 9pm with an event of some kind...followed by homework and immediately to bed because that 5:30 wake up call is in less than seven hours! I could have dropped out of a few things, but you need to be in All The Things so you can win awards and earn more scholarship money for college. Simplifying never seemed like an option. And I was actually one of the least-busy high schoolers I know.
None of those life stages or circumstances fostered a desire in me to make quiet time and studying the Bible a priority. And then I became a mom and I was like... "craaaaaaaap. I needed to be good at this, like, YESTERDAY."
Were there pockets of time here or there that I could have used my time more wisely?
Probably.
Should I have created some better habits surrounding my activities so that my time spent with God in his Word was a priority?
Yes.
Could I have simplified my schedule and activities and plans to create time for what mattered most?
Definitely.
But I didn't. And I would bet money on the fact that a lot of you had similar experiences, struggling with balancing life seasons and schedules with the desire to slow down and sit for a few minutes in front of the Bible. Even in the past two years since becoming a mom, I look at that first year and think, "I just never had enough time to do all the things. I WANTED to listen to sermons and read the Bible and be involved in Bible studies but I also really wanted to watch a million hours of Gilmore Girls and cry through the entire series of Parenthood while I was stuck breastfeeding for four+ hours a day."
Ohhhh the time I wasted! But. I'm done dwelling on the past. Because there is grace for all of that and what matters is what I do today. And if I try my best, that is good enough and I will have another chance tomorrow. It's not like my Bible is going anywhere. The study I went through this spring recharged me in ways I haven't felt since my days as a little camper at Hidden Acres and I am suddenly seeing Bible reading and studying in a totally new way. I'm somehow finding tons of TIME I never knew I had and I thought I'd share a few of my recently-discovered, best tricks for fitting quiet time into (most of) my days.
FYI...Maverick naps anywhere from 2-3 hours every day...he wakes around 8, and goes down around 8 give or take a half hour on each side of that schedule. And there are days where he wakes at 6am and nights where he doesn't fall asleep until 9:30pm. But he is IN his room for 12-15 hours each day and I've always tried to make the most of that time.
1. No TV.
There are days where this rule doesn't apply (ie: last week when I woke up with a pounding headache), but for the most part, unless it's PBS, the TV doesn't come on for me until after bedtime when Josh and I are ready to cuddle up to watch one of our shows. Now when I fold laundry, I listen to a Risen Motherhood podcast or a couple chapters of the Bible. Last summer I looooved waking up with coffee and the Today Show, which isn't bad (in moderation)! But I have since found a much better way to use that time.
2. Use TV.
On the flip side of that...I discovered that 30-60 minutes of PBS in the morning after breakfast on days when we don't need to be anywhere (the BEST days), means I can get through my study/chapter for the day and whip around the house finishing chores before we head to the orchard. And I feel great about using Sesame Street in the name of spending a half hour working on my Bible study. There are days it's on less and days it's on more, but I don't feel guilty about it and neither should you.
3. Multi-task.
In the car driving somewhere for more than 15 minutes? I listen to the sermon we missed this weekend, a podcast, or a chapter of the Bible when I used to consider that drive-time a waste and only flipped through radio stations. I had to go return something to the Mediacom office a few months ago (I've come to anticipate a looooong wait there) so I took a book with me to read to avoid Instagam scrolling.
4. Plan.
There is nothing worse than being all excited about finishing a Bible Study and then going, 'umm ok now what?' Before you know it two weeks has slipped by and not a minute of Bible studying has happened. I like to have a loose/flexible plan for what I'll tackle next to keep me motivated. After Romans I went through Hosea. Now I'm combing through a She Reads Truth study from last summer I didn't 100% finish. After that it will be either Ephesians, Galatians, followed by a Titus Precepts study in November. And I have my eyes set on a study called 'Seamless' in there somewhere too. If nothing else, I have my daily good old fallback, New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp.
5. Prioritize.
I cannot focus unless the house is semi-picked up, BLC is caught up, and most of my 'chores' are done. It's just how it is for me. So I try to stay REALLY on top of those things by managing my time well throughout my days...which means it's fairly easy for me to fit Bible studying into my day at some point. Either morning during Seasame or afternoon during nap time. If I miss out in the morning, I still have a second shot during the afternoon. If THAT doesn't happen, I still have a chance after bedtime while Josh is showering/working.
I'll pass along a few other helpful tips people have given me:
Quiet time doesn't have to be first thing in the morning! Just do it when/where it fits. Even if that's after bedtime while husband is showering.
Have study materials pre-printed and ready to go! I print mine in BULK so I'm never out of study sheets or paper or ink when I'm ready to sit down and focus. I also bought the She Reads Truth study Bible this spring and it's been one of the best things for my individual studying habits...there's a reading plan at the beginning of every chapter with little check boxes for marking when complete.
Don't let book-reading replace Bible-studying. This one is hard for me because when I start a new book I just want to BINGE. But as a rule, I force myself to spend time reading the ACTUAL BIBLE each day before I'm allowed to read other books (even good ones that are ABOUT the BIBLE).
Keep the books/Bible/study materials OUT until it's been accomplished for the day. I like to have everything picked up and put away, so this one helps me a LOT. When the Bible is on the table starting me right in the face, I almost always get some good studying in.
Tell other people what you're working on so you can check in with them off and on and talk about what you're studying/learning.
Take advantage of the women's Bible studies happening at church. I'm not doing the semester-long study at Cornerstone this fall because sometimes it's okay to say no to things. But I LOVE that this is always an option if I'm feeling lost about what to study or just need some structure.
Look for creative ways to study in groups. This summer I went through Romans with my sister and a sister-in-law (both work full-time, one is a mom...not the typical demographic of the 'group' I run with) and we had THE BEST time! And I feel like I learned A TON. Grab a partner or a small group and just casually work through a Lifeway/She Reads Truth/Well Watered Women study.
Adding it as a task to cross off my daily To Do list also seems helps me.
So that's what's been working for me for the past few months...what are some of your best tricks/tips for guaranteeing good time spent studying the Bible during busy seasons/schedules?
MmB
No comments:
Post a Comment