A New Years Resolution Worth Making

One of the things that should be making your resolution list, if you are a follower of Christ's, is to have a consistent quiet time.  It's not as hard as you may think to have some consistency in your daily walk with God.  I know that it is hard for me when I don't like having a schedule.  But when something is important I've realized I'm willing to make time for it.  And nothing is worth more than making time for God.

An easy way to ease into quiet times, if you aren't used to them is a Navigator old school tip called "7 minutes with God".  7 minutes broken down into 30 seconds of praying that God would prepare your heart, 4 minutes of reading and 2 1/2 minutes of praying back to God what you read or a simple prayer such as ACTS (Adoring God, Confessing sins, Thanksgiving and Supplication).

If you have trouble with a desire to be in the Word or applying the Word to your heart, I would simply recommend praying that to God.  It may seem weird at first to pray, "God, I don't desire your Word" but taking that step and admitting and praying about your lack of desire is one step actually closer to the Lord, not further.  It reminds me of the disciples when they prayed that Jesus would increase their faith (Luke 17:5) or when a boy's father prayed  "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).
Start reading in one of the Gospels, I recommend John or Luke.  Or start in Psalms.  Psalms is perfect for reading through, if you're interested because you can read by the date i.e. Psalm 1 on the 1st of the month and then the next month read Psalm 31 on the 1st day.  It's helpful for me to do this because then I can remember where I am at.  Read an entire chapter or read a verse.  It's not important how much you read, but it's more important to read until God speaks to you.  Sometimes I can get "stuck" on the first verse and that's ok too.  God wants to speak to you during your quiet time, so let Him.
Another thing I like to do when I read my bible is journal.  It helps me to process what I just read and pray without much interruption.  My mind tends to wander pretty badly, so I find that writing down my prayers helps me stay on task.  If I'm thinking my prayers quietly I tend to start thinking about my to-do list before too long.

So there you go, a new years resolution you should seriously consider.  I know I want to start my 2011 and end my 2011 with a more consistent time with God.  And remember, it's not about checking off a plan but more important to spend time with God.