Can any fellow Christians advise me?

Question

All my Christian life (the last 27 years) I have struggled with having regular quiet times/devotions/whatever you call them -- the 'read the Bible and pray for an hour' thing.

Part of this, I know, is that I have ADHD, and sitting still for an hour not moving is really hard for me, unless I'm asleep or knitting.

And I've tried a ton of "systems" to deal with this -- all kinds of reading plans and "through the Bible in a year" books, and three-chapters-a-day schedules -- and for me, these things just don't work. I think they will, and then I look at it one day and realize I'm 23 chapters behind schedule, and I just give up in discouragement.

Please, no rebukes or condemnation -- I have already enough guilt about this as it is (my college roommate in 1981 once told me: "You'll never be mature in the Lord -- someone will always have to babysit you" after she found I hadn't had quiet times over spring break).

Can anyone give me some ideas?

Wow -- so much good advice already! I'm considering carefully what all of you are suggesting.

For me, it's a toss-up between "I'm too restless" and "I'm too scatty" -- either I forget to do it altogether, or I'm too distracted when I DO do it...

Answer 1

What I've found that helps me with this, is to have a place away from home, away from people, and distractions, another room in the house, just a place to just spend time with the Lord, you're own little "sanctuary". It might be out in nature or at the park, or by the riverside, or another room in your house, where you have totally removed all distractions, a clock that ticks to loudly, a curtain blowing in the breeze, anything that you notice takes your mind off what you're trying to do. Just enjoy being close to God, being with Him. Bring this up to Him, ask Him to help you. People think that the more a person reads the Bible, the closer he/she is or will be to God.
Knowing the Bible and being able to quote Scripture doesn't make you mature in the Lord. It's through seeking Him and being fully open before Him, spending time in His Presence, talking to Him like your best Friend through out the day.

There are those who can quote scriptures and have read the Bible many times, yet their hearts are far from God. Jesus is the Living Water, spending time with Him, getting to know Him is how you grow in the Lord. Each time you spend time in His Presence, you are watered. And the closer you are to Him and the more you know Him and allow Him into all areas of your life, by simply acknowledging Him in all your ways and in all you do, the more you grow in Him. As He is with you wherever you go. Just talk to Him in your spirit, stay close to Him and He'll help you overcome whatever it is you're trying to do, alls you have to do is ask. You keep seeking Him and "delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart"

What helps me with this, was to search the scriptures on something that I wanted to understand and learn about. Something that has to do with whatever I am going thrugh.To study one subject at a time. Look for Nave's Topical Bible or other Topical Bible in the version of the Bible you like, (the more modern versions contain more modern topics, than King James) that's how I started. Topical Bibles list all kinds of topics, and list all the scriptures together in one place on the same subject.

I just searched on whatever was going on in my life at the time. I was sexually abused growing up, so I sought all the reading material and scriptures i could find. Later on, I was in an abusive marriage with a nonbeliever who hated God, so I looked for topics on love and husbands and what to do in this situation. Because after all that's what the Bible is for, not just having reading plans and schedules as some people claim.

It's to guide and instruct you. It's for applying to your everyday living and solving problems. If you do this in this way like I tell you, you'll find yourself reading more and more, and your ADHD won't interfere with it. The more interested you become, the harder it'll be to put down. It'll help focus your attention on Christ, not the world around you. The Lord will honor that and take care of the little things and it'll begin to carry over into other areas of your life.

Like you, I have ADHD and I also have MS and am in a wheelchair. And since I first started spending time with the Lord, just to be in His Presence, I've have learned more, He has healed my brokeness, and has changed me from the inside out, there is nothing on earth to even compare it with. And the closer I became to Him, the closer He drew to me. I went from laying all my troubles out before Him, to Him teaching me. I learned that if you come to Him in thanks and worship Him, and just be still, and listen, He'll teach you anything you want to know! He will lift you up so high, you will have forgotten what your problem was. He'll replace sadness, with joy that overflows, like from a well that never runs dry. Forget all those "through the Bible in one year"Books. Just seek God.Just love Him and desire to know Him more deeply. "Draw near to God and He will draw hear to you"

It's not how much you read that's important, it's what you absorb when you read it. What it says to you. Pray ask the Holy spirit to speak to you as you read, to show you what it is you need to see. I've read the same scripture verse for years, and know it by heart, and more than once, the Lord has shown me something new, in that same verse, I never seen before. I just asked the Holy spirit to teach me, instruct me, and then started reading, and a verse would seem to leap up off the pages at me. He began to show me things I never seen before when I tried to read it myself and stay focused. I just pray and ask Him to help me with and He does.

When your roommate said" You'll never mature in the Lord--someone will always have to babysit you" alls that did was reveal her own immaturity to you and it says alot about her walk with the Lord. If she was so mature in the Lord, she wouldn't be keeping a record of what other people do or not.
It's not how much you know, is "who" you know, and that's Jesus Christ. And it's being who you are before God, loving Him and desiring to be closer to the Lord. It's being aware that He is always present and right beside you.

Spending time with God and Reading the Bible, is like spiritual food, it's the quality and the amount you absorbed that makes your grow, not the amount you do. i.e. it is far better to eat small meal, that was high in quality and absorb it, than a very large one, with little or no value.

Just bring your cares to the Lord and seek Him with all of your heart, and He'll see to it that the rest falls in place. Trying to clock yourself on a Bible reading schedule might work for people who've already got their lives together and think they don't need to use the Bible for instruction & for guidance, but for those of us who are honest with God, need instruction.

What good does it do to read 3 chapters about something that has nothing to do with what you're going through or need at that time? How can anyone focus this way? To put a person on reading schedule, to me sets a person up for discouragement, saying read x amount by x time--God doesn't judge us that way. And He certainly doesn't expect us live that way. He wants us to Himself. He wants our full attention and to hear what He's telling us and to do it, from a sincere heart because we "want" to do it, not because "have to"

Just like people do with our own children, it means so much more when a child or a friend does something for us because they want to do it, than because they "had to". It's the same with the Lord. He wants that closeness with His children, and it means more when we do it out of own hearts. All that matters is what God thinks, and that He is pleased with us.

God Bless †

Answer 2

You could try praying and reading for 15 minutes once or twice a day. Why does it have to be a whole hour? I have ADHD as well, and that is about how long I read for. Don't try to put yourself on a tough schedule. Just read what you can and ponder about the important points throughout the day. Reading your scriptures is not a race. You don't have to read a certain number of chapters a day to "become mature in the Lord." It is more important to read a little bit and have that work in your mind and heart and let it change your life. Don't listen to what other people say--do what works for you. You can have "quiet times" throughout the day by remembering the Lord and always having a prayer in your heart. Remember Jesus, be happy, and serve others and you will be as spiritually mature as anyone you know.

Answer 3

I dont have ADHD and I do that too. Make a goal for the bible in 2 yrs instead of one, its a lot of reading and you cant do other reading with that much reading that it takes to read the bible in one year, to read that much you wouldnt really be concentrating and meditating on the word anyway. I like to read as much as I can and then come back another time to read it and just bring a small bible everywhere so you can read it waiting in a line somewhere or on your work lunch break for 10 minutes. Start the morning reading and then read some during the day and read before bed. Dont feel guilt, youre doing your best. What happened in 1981 is a long time ago, let it go. Pray and read as much as you can do and dont beat yourself up over it. God bless. You are doing great!!!

Answer 4

I can't believe your roommate/fellow Christian said that...

Anyway, I believe you've been having more quiet time than you think. I just believe you've been taught that a quiet time has to be a set way.. You've been trained that you have to wake up extra early in the morning and pray and read scripture, and God has to speak to you... and you don't have time in the morning... so you think you missed your quiet time. Actually, there is no formula to a quiet time... and it doesn't have to be in the wee hours of the day.

Its not so much what it is, as much as what it does. A quiet time can be anytime that you have to yourself, away from stress and rush of the busy work day. What do your normally do when you want to recharge your batteries? A walk around the neighborhood, some time in a park, a quiet moment reading a book before bedtime. These are all examples of quiet moments we have to ourselves. The same is true for our spiritual quiet times.

No you don't have to spend your spiritual quiet times reading the Bible or deep in prayer... Just sit on the porch a minute a relax.. tell God how your day is going.. What has been on your mind? Then be still. Listen to the sounds of the outdoors. Feel the sun on your skin. Feel the breeze. See the branches sway in the wind.. God is here. He is nearby. He has always been here. That's all it is.. And, in these moments you will feel both inspired and recharged.

Do not feel bad if you don't make time for a quiet time everyday. Just treasure the quiet moments you have.

Answer 5

Do you work outside the house? if so, do you drive? Bible on CD (or audio-tape) will help you on your drive - if you take the bus, put them in your portable CD player.

You can also do this while you are knitting (I often pray the Rosary while I am doing other things). Pray while you are cooking or cleaning the house, doing laundry or any other past-time that doesn't require a lot of mental activity.

I used to have the same problem, but when I started to think about all the time I had driving, gardening, cooking, etc. I have found plenty of opportunity for prayer. I have a very busy work day and spend a lot of time with my son, but still manage about 2 hours a day.

Answer 6

I'm an atheist, but I'll pitch in anyway. ;)

The best thing to do would be to set aside a time for you to read. Plan your day around that time (not focusing on it per say, just making sure that you don't have any more inviting activities to distract you at a certain time), and maybe find your favorite CD if such a thing can help you focus (Personally, I can't focus at all in silence).

I wouldn't put too much of a schedule on reading your Bible, unless there are strict rules on it. Obviously, that's something I'm not sure on, but I think that it's safe to say that any time you have to spend with God is welcome, and time that you don't have to spend is forgiven and understood.

Another thing you could do is, instead of spending an hour all at once, you could try reading twenty minutes for three times a day; (once in the morning, once in the afternoon, once at night). Again, I'm not completely sure if there are rules against this or whatever, but I imagine it'd be alright.

Last, but not least, don't give up in discouragement. I've done that quite a few times with English books I'm being forced to read with all the cruelties of high school (*cough*Grapes of Wrath*cough*), but it really just puts you further back behind. Keep reminding yourself that you have a long life ahead of you, and make sure you remind yourself that you enjoy reading this book. Reward yourself for having done well (nice dinner, movie, etc), but don't punish yourself for having not done so (mentally beating yourself up).

Hope I helped. :)

Answer 7

Where did you get this "one hour" figure? Just spend time with the Lord in your own way. He knows who you are, and what you are like. After all, He made you. ADHD and all! Break your time with God down into smaller sections.
When you first wake up, while your mind and body have not yet gone into overdrive, pray for 5 or 10 minutes.
Then listen to the Bible on CD or a good Christian radio show on the way to work.
When you get to work, say another quick prayer to ask the Lord to guide your thoughts, words and actions while at work.
Throughout the day, remember to thank God for the good things and ask for His help in the tough times.
In the evening, read a short section of the Bible or a devotional for 10-15 minutes, think about how you can apply it to your life, and thank God for all of the blessings He has given you and ask Him to bless others.
There is a song our worship leader at church wrote. It says "prayer should be like breathing to the Lord". It should not be timed, rote, fake. It should be like visiting with your best friend. And with your best friend you can sometimes be silent. Sometimes fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. But your best friend will still be there because of the love you share. Let Christ show you the way He wants to speak with you.
I pray for you to have a blessed and peacefull prayer life.

Answer 8

Do not allow others to discourage you, God loves the effort you give in your time alone with HIm and in His Word, just the way you do it, He knows how hard you are trying, and condemnation and ridicule are not of God! I admire your trying so hard and trying to read and then pray for an hour, but maybe you are putting too much on yourself, God loves the time you give Him so, perhaps you could break it up into several parts throughout the day, a little here, a little there, and see if that doesn't help, one last thing, God says "Obedience is better than sacrifice." so look at it this way if it helps, you are getting closer to Him through your reading and prayers, and it has nothing to do with a formula, but your relationship with Him, and as I see it, you have a pretty good one!

Answer 9

Firstly don't assume that you "need " to have quiet times every day to mature. That makes it seem very legalistic. God is not like that. It it true that it is VERY important to spend time with God but don't limit this time to 'a chapter of a bible book. God can use many other things to help you get close to him. In fact there is nothing in the bible that says you have to do it this way or even spend an hour with him. Feel free to experiment with other ways of experiencing God. People learn so differently to each other and God knows that.I Knows lots of Pastors that struggle to get a daily QT done so you are not alone.

Secondly, Try getting the bible on DVD, CD, etc I have found that Time life DVDs are excellent. Also try memorising one verse and mediate on that for the day. Or try and read another Christian book like Max Lucado or similar authors again if you find it hard to read a lot just read one chapter. Also listen to sermons on CD there are several churches that put their sermons on pod's, web casts etc now. There are milions of different ways you could try. Be creative!! understand how you learn and use that mode of learning in your QT.

Answer 10

Okay I have had this same exact problem!!! I couldn't focus when I had to read the three chapters in a day thing. I like randomness and different things. So I started reading three chapters a day.....but in three different books. Like one chapter will be in proverbs or psalms, one in Exodus or Matthew, and one in Phillippians or revelations, etc. and it was a lot easier to focus because I was constantly changing stories and thinking about new aspects. one would be a story, one would be self improvement, and so on. I liked the change. You should try it, it might work for you.
p.s. its always good to have a Christian book to read--not just the Bible, but a fiction book or something. Like something from Frank Peretti where its not the Bible but its still insight into being closer to God.

Answer 11

Well, I think ADHD is a crock for starters. Now, do not take that as condemnation. But, do not look at your disability at all if you can help it. You said you can knit and not suffer from your disability I think you can learn to sit still in the word.

You have a few problems as I see it. First, you are setting a rigid time of worship. It does not have to be an hour or even sitting still. Maybe you could listen to a CD or Tape on the Bible while you knit. If that does not work you could praise, pray, or sing to the Lord while you knit. Be flexible in your time with God.

Second, do not set yourself up for failure. Get away from anything that has a mandated time frame. I could see from your "through the Bible" experience that you are indeed at your wits end so avoid anything with preset expectations.

Finally, while cruel, your roomie from college is partially right. If you do not work at this you will need to be "babysat" forever! Just kidding! Look at the Israelites they had God himself telling them all they needed to know and they still screwed up and this was over centuries. So ease up on yourself a little and God will guide you to something that will encrease your quality time with him. "Seek and you shall find."