Quiet Time with God

    I hear so many Christians talking about their quiet time with God. I see on Instagram people who have their Bibles decorated in an assortment of notes and drawings. Personally, I have never been one to really like writing in my books, and that includes my Bible. I might do some underlining, but that is about it. I prefer my books to not have much writing in them because I prefer writing in journals and it seems less messy. Quiet time is something that can be so hard to fit in a college schedule where I often feel drained; however, I realize that in my lack of physical rest, the Lord provides strength when I take my mind off the stresses of college and focus on him. 

    I know that quiet time is important, but I am realizing that my quiet time with God does not have to look like everyone elses. I don't need to complicate it as it is simply spending time with God. I remember one day my alarm going off, and I just laid back down. I started praying to God as I was half awake. This year has already had so much to carry as I have been exhausted trying to get adjusted to so many classes and work. The Lord can minister in reading of scripture just as much as he can minister in our simple acknowledgment of him. 

    God, as my father, had me remember a time when I was between the ages of 6 to 8 years old. I would wake up every morning to go lay down with my dad. I remember how special that was to me growing up. It was my time with my dad before I would go over to my mom's house. I remembered this while getting ready after that time of the half-awake prayer. I was incredibly tired just resting in the presence of my Lord and Savior. It was beautiful to realize that even though I was half awake, the Lord is always there and like my dad, I can rest protected by God. 

    This year, I am trying to make my time with God less about reading a lot of scripture and more about simply spending time with God. Anyone can read and know scripture, but it takes true intentionality to seek to know God.  I need to know God more than anything as God is the Creator of everything. This time I spent simply praying while I was struggling to wake up shaped my day to be more centered on him. That wasn't my doing either because I was struggling to stay awake; it was all God who saw where I was at. He has seen me in my tired weary moments as well as in my moments of praising him Sometimes striving to wake up early to read scripture needs to be a time of just sitting with God. 

    We don't need to be the Instagram version of a Bible notetaker who has this crazy aesthetically pleasing-looking Bible or journal. For some people that does work and it is how they spend time with God daily, but for me, it is different. God meets us in different ways regardless of how we journal or worship him.