Some Quiet Confessions about Quiet Time
A young pastor owns up to the realities of personal devotion, and explores for solutions.
Mark R. Littleton
October 1, 1983
Parishioners would never dream it, but there is a segment of the ecclesiastical nobility-myself included-for whom personal worship (a.k.a. "devotions," "quiet time," "QT") has been a struggle. First, it's finding the minutes. Those phone calls in the morning always seem to foul up your communion with God. Or maybe it's the kids. Or the sweet smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen.
Next, there's how long you spend. Reading about John Wesley awakening at 4 A.M. and praying for two hours is exhilarating, but it nearly wipes you out. As holy as David Brainerd was, you get a bit tired of him lying in the snow, praying for six hours, and getting up wet. Not from the snow, though. From the sweat.
Once QT gets a beachhead in your life, it's the lightning bolts of guilt that shoot through you every time you miss. Remember the day you cracked up the car? What was the first thing you muttered? "Why didn't I have my prayer time this morning?"
Then there are the dry periods. The Bible puts you right out. You kneel by the couch and promptly fall asleep as you mumble, "And bless the deacons and the trustees and Luke Skywalker. … "
Finally, there's simply sticking with it, through sick and sin. You try it with the television on. With the television off. At home. At your office. Under the beech trees in the park. In bed. Out of bed. You go for a week straight and don't miss once. The next week you miss seven for seven.
Believe me, I've been there. I've been lectured to, preached at, cajoled, and excoriated. I have also lectured to, preached at, cajoled, and excoriated others about having a personal life of devotion.
Please understand at the outset that I do not write to put anyone into another guilt epoch. However, I would like to discuss ...
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