Have you ever stopped to consider why you have a quiet time?
It’s easy to think that as long as we’re having a quiet time, our motive doesn’t matter. After all, doesn’t God just want us to show up, read the Bible, pray?
I used to think that way, until God led me through a season where He completely transformed my motive for reading the Bible. As a result, my quiet time changed forever. Instead of sitting in bed just trying to keep my eyes open long enough to read a chapter or two, I truly fell in love with God’s Word.
Most of us don’t want to have a quiet time just for the sake of habit. We long for a quiet time that is abundantly fruitful, deepening our relationship with Jesus. This is 100% possible for every Christian. One of the keys to getting there is changing our “why”.
Why Motivation Matters:
Our motivation for having a quiet time shapes how we approach God and the Bible. If I’m motivated by duty, I come to God thinking that there is something I can give Him rather than recognizing I am the one who desperately needs what He gives.
Our motive determines whether we will continue the discipline when things get hard. If I’m motivated to pray because I want God’s blessings, then if God doesn’t answer my prayers the way I want Him to, I’ll stop praying. But if I pray because I love Jesus, I will seek Him more earnestly when His blessings are gone and He is all that I have.
Our motive predicts our outcome. I can complete my Bible reading plan and memorize entire books of the Bible to maintain a “good Christian girl” status. But if I read in order to know Christ, I will gain a richer, more intimate knowledge of my Savior.
Can you see how important our reason for having a quiet time is?
I’ve found it helpful to prayerfully and humbly examine my motives periodically. As we look at some of the most common motivations for having a quiet time, allow the Lord to search your heart. If He graciously reveals that you have slipped into having your quiet time for the wrong reason, be quick to repent. He is ever so faithful to forgive and lead us back into the joy of His presence.
Wrong Motive 1: To Earn God’s Favor
The Bible was not given to us so that we could earn God’s favor. Jesus was given to us so that we could become holy and acceptable to God through faith in Christ.
The Scribes and Pharisees thought that by carefully studying the Scripture they could earn salvation. But Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:39; NKJV)
In other words, Scripture is not our salvation. It is meant to point us to Jesus, the One who is.
Wrong Motive 2: To Maintain “Good Christian” Status
How often do we post a picture of our Bible on Instagram or mention the verse we are memorizing to friends just so they think we have a relationship with God when in reality we only have a relationship with our quiet time?
Jesus warns against doing spiritual things to be seen by men in Matthew chapter 6:
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (5-6)
Our quiet time is not intended to exalt our reputation among men.
(Possibly) Wrong Motive Number 3: Obedience
One of the most common motivations for having a quiet time is simple obedience.
Obedience is not a wrong reason to read the Bible and pray. God does command us to meditate on His Word day and night (Josh. 1:8) and to pray always (1 Thes. 5:17).
However, if obedience remains the only reason we are having a quiet time, we will forever come as a slave and leaving weary and discouraged with our time in the Word.
God intends for us to come to His Word as beloved sons, and to leave refreshed, encouraged, and strengthened.
The Motivation that Transforms Quiet Times
The motivation that completely transformed how I spend my quiet time is: love for Jesus and desire to know Him more.
Scripture says that those who know and love God will keep His commandments (John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-4). This does not mean that we keep His commandments to prove to God that we love Him. Instead, it means that because we love Jesus, we actually want to keep His commandments. Obedience is the natural outflow of love.
So instead of being motivated by a need to obey, we are motivated by a love for Christ that compels us to obey.
Love for God is not just an emotion. There are still days when I don’t feel like having a quiet time. On those days I ask myself, “Katie, do you love Jesus?” My soul always responds with a resounding “Yes, Lord! You know that I love You.”
I open my Bible and spend time with God because I love Him in truth. When I do, the emotion of love almost always follows.
If we love someone, we naturally want to know them better. And as A.W. Tozer said, “The man who would know God must give time to Him.” Just as we cannot get to know any other person without spending time with them, we cannot get to know Jesus without spending time with Him. A desire to know Jesus more intimately should motivate us to have a quiet time.
Soul, do you love Jesus? The next time you don’t feel like having your quiet time, ask yourself, “Soul, do you love Jesus?” Then open your Bible, fall on your knees, pour out your heart to Him. Do it because you love Him and because you want to know Him more. He is faithful to fill our hearts with His love and to lead us into deeper intimacy than we could dream possible.