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It's ironic. I used to call the time I set aside for God my "quiet time." However, those times, filled with words—the words I read, studied, wrote, or whispered toward the ceiling, wondering if God even heard—felt anything but quiet. They felt more like "doing" times—as in completing tasks on a list. And, truth be told, sometimes they also felt like "doing time," as in punishment or an obligation.
I knew Jesus offers us "life to the full" (John 10:10), but I wondered if that was possible. I tried to study my Bible, but I'd forget the words I read as soon as I closed the book. Or I'd think, I've read this all before. It seemed stale. But just when exhaustion and guilt made me ready to give up, God brought some people and books into my life that showed me ways to put the quiet back into my quiet times, old ways to revitalize my relationship with him that were new to me.
Maybe you too are looking for that full life Jesus promises instead of a life stuffed with too much responsibility and pressure. If Jesus is the one who promises that kind of life, it makes sense the way we access it is by spending time with him. But if you're thinking, I already do that, but it's beginning to feel a bit dry, a bit routine, don't worry. There's hope.
Here are three practices I've found to help me connect with God more deeply. I've been using them for more than a decade now. They're simply ways to spend time with Jesus so you can let him give you that abundant, full life.
1. Deep ListeningChristians have prayed and listened to Scripture through a practice called Lectio Divina (Latin for "Sacred Word") for centuries. You read a passage slowly several times, spending time in silence between readings, letting the words sink into your soul as you listen for the one word or phrase that touches you most deeply.
Lectio Divina is a way to meditate on Scripture by listening and then responding—breathing in God's Word, breathing out a prayer. Traditionally, this practice includes four parts: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Deep listening to Scripture requires a focus on God's words rather than ours. In Lectio Divina, I listen to what God wants to say just to me through the text. I'm open to listening not just to general truth that's applicable to everyone, but for specific truth that applies to my unique circumstances.
In this practice, I read a short passage. For a month or more one summer, I kept going back to Psalm 27, reading a few verses at a time. I found myself drawn to verses 3-5, so for several days, I returned to that short section. I read it slowly, noticing how often I found myself drawn to the word "dwell." What did it mean for me to "dwell in the house of the Lord" (vs. 4)? Did I really believe I was "safe in his dwelling"? How could I truly dwell in his presence?
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