I have a confession: I love donuts. I will never say no to a donut, at any time for any reason. If I had the opportunity to eat donuts every day, I probably would.

It’s no secret that donuts aren’t the most nutritious food. In fact, they could probably be listed among the least nutritious foods. They’re deep fried, full of refined sugar, and oh so delicious.

There’s nothing wrong with eating a donut on occasion, but I know better than to seek out opportunities to eat donuts every day just because I love them. I know that this would damage my physical health in the long run, and I would very quickly start to feel the negative effects of my choices.

We often think about what we are feeding our bodies, but how often do we think about what we are feeding our souls? That innermost part of our being needs to be nourished, but how often are we feeding it a consistent diet of spiritual junk food? We try to find our satisfaction in entertainment, relationships, and possessions, but in the end we just feel empty. In order to be filled, we may need to change what we are hungry for. I want to share with you some practical steps for developing a healthy spiritual diet.

PUT SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD IN ITS PROPER PLACE

If I told myself I was never allowed to have another donut ever again, I can guarantee you that would not help me to have a healthy relationship with donuts. In fact, it would likely make me crave them more. We’re not talking about sinful behaviors; we’re talking about things that can be completely pure and innocent. The problem comes in when we start trying to satisfy our souls with these things.

For me, it’s scrolling on social media. There’s nothing wrong with this in and of itself, but when I start to reach for my phone in moments of anxiety to soothe my soul, it then becomes a problem. Any form of entertainment can become a problem in this way. With the invention of wireless earbuds came the ability to easily plug into another world and drown out our unpleasant emotions. I enjoy podcasts as much as the next person, but I have to be careful about constant consumption. If I drown out every moment of silence to avoid unpleasant feelings, I’ll miss the opportunity to fellowship with God through prayer and receive the comfort of His still small voice in my moments of need.

So how do we put spiritual junk food in its proper place?

SET DEFINITE BOUNDARIES

How much time each day is reasonable for you to spend consuming spiritual junk food? This boundary is between you and the Lord, but if you pray about it, He will make it clear what the boundary should be.

Maybe you should limit your consumption to a certain time of day. Since I know social media is a problem for me, I limit my time on social media to my daughter’s nap time after I’ve spent time in God’s Word.

FIND ACCOUNTABILITY

As with all life changes, it’s easier to be consistent when you have accountability. The best person to keep you accountable is probably someone you live with. For me, it’s my husband. Do I like it when he asks me if I really need to be on my phone right now? Not at all. Am I thankful that he cares enough about me to help me stay accountable to the boundaries I have set for myself? Absolutely.

START GIVING YOUR SOUL THE NOURISHMENT IT NEEDS

I can reduce my intake of donuts all I want, but if I don’t consume enough nourishing food in their place, I’ll still have uncontrollable cravings. We don’t put spiritual junk food in its proper place just for the sake of consuming less, but for the sake of making more room for the food that will satisfy our soul’s deepest longings.

True satisfaction can be found in God alone. How do we develop a relationship with God? By spending time in the pages of His Word and by talking to Him through prayer. When I have the urge to pick up my phone in moments of anxiety, how much better would I actually feel if I turned to the Lord in prayer? Rather than sitting down with a novel when I have some time to myself, what if I opened the pages of God’s Word and received the hope that He has to offer?

These changes won’t take place overnight. Just like changing our diets physically takes time and effort, developing an appetite for God’s Word isn’t an instant change. But if we learn to put spiritual junk food in its proper place and start giving our souls the spiritual nourishment they need one day at a time, we will find the true satisfaction that only God can give.

You get to the end of the day, and you realize you haven’t had a quiet time. Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there. Life happens. If you miss your time in God’s Word for the day, there is always grace. But I want to give you the tools you need to be as consistent as possible. Our time in God’s Word makes such a difference in our lives!

One thing that has helped me be consistent in my quiet time is having a backup plan for the days when life just gets in the way. I want to give you some practical tips for having a “Plan B” for your quiet time.

THINK AHEAD

At the beginning of every day, know when you’re going to have your quiet time. Better yet, think through the week ahead of time! Is there a day this week that your schedule will be out of the ordinary? Do you have to wake up earlier certain days? Will you be traveling or out of the house more than usual? If you can think through the day before it starts, you’ll be able to adjust if your normal quiet time isn’t going to work.

BE SPIRIT-LED

You know your day is going to be off, and you honestly don’t know when you’re going to be able to have a quiet time. Ask the Lord to help you to be aware of the earliest possible time when you can pause for a quiet time. This may mean that your time isn’t completely quiet. I’ve had my “quiet time” on the couch while a toddler climbed all over me. But if you ask God to help you be aware of an opportunity to pause for a few minutes, He will make it clear.

READ BEFORE BED

Sometimes life takes us by surprise. Someone gets sick, or there’s some sort of emergency. You weren’t able to plan ahead, and there really was no moment to pause. Before you go to bed, open your Bible, even if it’s just for five minutes. This is the thing that has helped me be most consistent in my Bible reading. If I don’t get to read at my normal time, I know I can always spend a few minutes with the Lord before I go to bed. Besides, those days when life completely overwhelms us are likely the days we need God’s Word the most.

If you think ahead through your days and weeks, stay sensitive to the Spirit’s leading to pause, and commit to reading for just a few minutes before bed, you will be far more likely to be consistent with your quiet time.

Do you have a backup plan for your quiet time on the busy days? Tell me in the comments!

Have you ever reached the end of your time in God’s Word and wondered what you had just read? Do you wonder if you’ll ever understand certain parts of God’s Word? I just read through Ezekiel for the second time this year, and I can assure you this is how I felt most days after reading. 

Sometimes the Bible seems hard to understand. It can be tempting to give up trying, avoiding the parts that don’t make as much sense to us (hello, 1 Chronicles!). But there is so much reward found in continuing to read and study the Bible, even the difficult parts. I want to share with you three things to help you stay encouraged when the Bible seems hard to understand.

ENGAGE YOUR MIND

I have to be willing to admit that part of the problem with my lack of understanding may be me. I realize that my mind is prone to wandering when I’m trying to read God’s Word. Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, and our phones and the internet are partially to blame. But we still have a choice. I want to choose to engage my mind. When I notice my mind wandering during my quiet time, I will choose to refocus my attention on God’s Word. This takes work every single day, but it is so worth it.

TRUST THE TEACHER

The truth is, we can’t understand God’s Word on our own. We need a Teacher to help us. Thankfully, God has given us the Holy Spirit for this very purpose.

John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

We receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, and He is the one Who will teach us all things and give understanding.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Knowing that I have the Holy Spirit to guide me, I will keep being faithful to my time in God’s Word. If I take the time, God will do the teaching.

DELIGHT IN THE MYSTERY

There are some things we just won’t understand until we get to heaven. Even a lifetime of studying God’s Word will not be enough to know everything God has for us within its pages. But I want to devote my life to getting just a little closer to understanding every day. I want to get to know God in this lifetime so that stepping into eternity with Him feels as natural as taking my next breath.

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

There are things I will not understand this side of eternity. Until then, I will delight in the mystery.

If we engage our minds, trust the Teacher, and delight in the mystery, we will find satisfaction in our time in God’s Word, even on the days when we don’t fully understand. The Holy Spirit will teach us little by little, and when we get to heaven, we will know even as also we are known.

I would love to pray for you that God would give you understanding of His Word. If you would like prayer in this area, will you let me know in the comments?

I’ve been told many times over the course of my life that the best time to have a quiet time is in the morning. Although that may be true for some people in some seasons, it has rarely been true for me. I remember a period of time as a teenager when I slept with my Bible next to my bed and asked my mom to hand it to me when she woke me up for school so I could have a morning quiet time. Although my intentions were good, this didn’t work out very well in practice. By the time I got to school, I could barely remember what I had read. I knew I had to find a different way because the whole having-a-quiet-time-in-the-morning thing wasn’t working for me. So I started having a quiet time at different times of the day.

Yes, there are passages in the Bible that talk about seeking God in the morning. Yes, Jesus went out to pray a great while before day. But He did that because it was the best time for Him to meet with His Father before His followers started demanding His attention. In college I found that the morning really was the best time for me because the dorm was still quiet. The best time to have a quiet time is the time you’re consistently able to have it. I want to share with you five times to have a quiet time (other than in the morning!) that I hope will help you have a more consistent time with God in His Word.

AT NIGHT

I first experimented with having a quiet time at night before going to bed. As a teenager, that was when my mind was the most alert and ready to read and comprehend God’s Word. If you’re not a morning person or you have to wake up too early in the morning to have a profitable quiet time, this may be a good option for you. My husband wakes up at 3:30 AM most weekdays, and I often see him reading his Bible before going to bed. In this season of life, it’s the best time for him.

ON YOUR LUNCH BREAK

If you have a job that includes a lunch break, try having your quiet time during this time! It’s okay if you eat lunch while having your quiet time. Consider it having lunch with God! This may require you to give up some social time or entertainment during your lunch break, but the refreshment you will receive from God’s Word will be well worth it.

AFTER SCHOOL/WORK

For a period of time I had a quiet time in the afternoon as soon as I got home from school. I was able to go to my room where it was quiet and take some time to read God’s Word and refresh myself after a day at school. If you’re a student, this may be a good option for you. It could also be a good option if you work and can take a little time when you get home.

WHEN THE HOUSE IS EMPTY

As a newly married wife, I enjoyed having a quiet time later in the morning after my husband had left the house. If your family has a bit of a different schedule than you do and you find that you have some time at home by yourself, this is a perfect time to meet with God through reading His Word.

NAP TIME

As a new mom, I ignored the advice to sleep when the baby was sleeping and had my quiet time when the baby was sleeping. Now that my “baby” is almost two, I still do this. This may be the best option for moms: meet with the Lord when the little ones are napping or after their bedtime. But know that it’s okay in this season if your “quiet time” isn’t always quiet. There may be interruptions, but your ministry as a mom is so important! Give God the time you have, and He will bless you for your faithfulness.

If having a morning quiet time isn’t working for you, I hope that one of these options will help.

What time do you meet with God by reading His Word? Tell me in the comments!