A 31 DAY QUIET TIME EXPERIMENT
Many statements of Scripture encourage us to draw closer to God. Here are a few that are inviting us to move toward God: David’s challenge, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8); the promise to submit to God, draw near to Him and He will draw near to you (James 4:7-10), and Jesus’ claim, “I have come that you might have life … in all its fullness” (John 10:10).
Convinced that the quality of my spiritual life is not now what I want it to be, or what God wants it to be, I commit myself to an experiment in dynamic Christian living. For 31 days I will seek to cultivate the mind of Christ, that I might discover for myself the life He claims to make possible. I begin this experiment today by offering this earnest prayer:
“Lord God, you have called me to be your child and empowered me with your Holy Spirit to transform me into the likeness of your Son Jesus. I want to become all that you have planned for me and so I confess my need to let go of myself and submit to your rule over my life.
Therefore, with trust and in love I give myself to You. Take what I have this moment, of weakness and strength, of confusion and assurance, of doubt and faith, of dark moods and joyous radiance. All that I have I place in your hands. Here is my life. I surrender as much of myself as I know how. In this way, I place myself under your Lordship.
And now, Lord Jesus, use your Word to transform my life. Live your holy life through mine. Use my mind to think your thoughts. Use my heart to love people with. My mouth is yours to speak your words. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen.”
Now for the next month I covenant with God to do the following :
- To spend 15 minutes each day in prayer and guided Bible study using the SOAP guide. I will give God an opportunity to teach me and speak to me through His Word and His Spirit.
- To honestly seek God’s guidance in my daily decisions by asking the question, “What does Christ want to do through me?”
- To share with at least one other person what I am discovering (both of success and of failure) so that she/he can join me in prayer and support.
- To participate each week in the life of my church.