Planning Your Time with God

What do we actually do during our morning hour of seeking God? How do we fill that time to maximize its effectiveness for spiritual growth? 

A daily routine of seeking God can include a number of different practices and spiritual tools, but it’s best to begin with the two most important elements. God uses the Scripture to restructure our minds with his truth and change the way we think, and he uses prayer to connect our hearts with his and advance his will on the earth. These two spiritual tools are like a fork and a knife: they work best when they’re used together. 

Approaching the Bible can be a little intimidating, especially if this is new for you. Here are three ways to study Scripture that will help you SOW God’s truth deep into your heart: systematic reading, one-topic study, and waiting and repeating. 

S—Systematic Reading: Choose one book in the Bible and read a portion of it each day until you’ve completed that book. Read it slowly. Read one or two chapters a day at the most. This will force you to chew on what you read. You’ll be not just processing information but learning to hear God’s Spirit and receive revelation. 

If you are new to the Bible, begin with the gospel of Mark. Then read the book of Acts, then Ephesians. Once you’ve worked your way through those, complete the rest of the New Testament. After that, begin on your way through the Old Testament. 

As you read your chapter for the day slowly, pause over anything that grabs your attention. Try to become aware of the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. Stop throughout your reading and ask yourself: What stood out to me? What statement or phrase seemed to shimmer? Write these things down in a notebook that you always bring to your morning time with God and try to put into words what it seems God is teaching you. What does this chapter reveal about God? What does this chapter reveal about life? 

Once you’ve written down and reflected on anything that stood out, answer the question: What am I supposed to do with this? What application does this truth require? Try to be as specific as possible with your answer. If you are setting aside an hour with God, then this process can take anywhere from fifteen to forty-five minutes. It’s one important way that you can begin to engage the Scripture. 

O—One-Topic Study: A second way to approach the Bible is through a one-topic study. For example, in the back of most Bibles is a concordance that lists important words. Also, there are multiple websites where you can search for a keyword or phrase in Scripture. You could search “in Christ” and isolate every time in Scripture this phrase is used. You could search “Holy Spirit” or “peace.” 

Print out the results and slowly read each passage. Study each one in context one-by-one. What does this phrase really mean? What is God saying to you about it? Write down your insights. As you learn the context of each passage, a clear understanding of that topic will begin to form. 

W—Waiting and Repeating: A third way to approach Scripture is to find a verse that stands out to you, write it down, and then “walk around it” for a while. Read it, reread it, memorize it, pray it, and worship God with the truth contained in it. This method will help engrave that truth deeply on your heart. 

Create a weekly schedule for your Bible reading. For example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, focus on systematic reading. Tuesday and Thursday, focus on a one-topic study. Saturday and Sunday, practice waiting and repeating. Ask God to make his Word come alive as you study it!