Quiet time can be defined and tailored in many ways. Uninterrupted time to read the Bible, a Devotional message, memorize a scripture, meditate, prayer, journaling or even time to listen to a song. All of these are excellent ways to take “Selah” moments each day. Selah is from the Bible in Psalms which means pause, listen, think about it.

All of us need time each day to pause and have “Be Still and Know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV) time set aside. It’s also a wonderful daily spiritual practice that honors God. Quiet time allows us to fuel our minds and nourish our spirit, to fill up with what we need for the day and even de-stress during the day and evening.

Quiet time can be done early in the morning, afternoon, or evening. It can be tailored to the amount of time you set aside. It’s a daily habit and discipline that has huge benefits for everyone, especially patients dealing with chronic liver conditions and hepatitis C.

Jesus showed us by His example how important daily quiet time is with God.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 NIV

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 NIV

Also see Matthew 14:23 NIV, Luke 6:12 NIV and more.

We are all subject to stress and focus on the cares and worries of our lives. Stress in itself can vary in degree and type but we know from studies stress has an effect on our physical bodies. It suppresses the immune system, can cause anxiety, depression, worry, headaches, muscle pain, insomnia, eating disorders, heart disease, some suggest it even as effects on cancer, etc…

Quiet time, on the other hand, has calming effects on our physical bodies and helps bring mental and emotional focus.

For a Hepatitis C and liver disease patient, or anyone who deals with a chronic condition, taking daily quiet can be like taking a spiritual vitamin, but better. It’s two-fold, it’s first and foremost honoring to God and taking time to focus on Him, but it allows us to hand over our cares, anxieties, and stresses of our day literally into His hands which works as a de-stressor, brings calm, and ushers in peace into our day. It helps quiet the storms of life.

Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NIV

We live in a high-speed information-saturated world that’s on 24-7. Unplugging from noise and distraction is healthy and calms the nerves, which in turn helps clear our head, helps us de-escalate stress, anger, worry, fear, and anxiety. Closing our eyes and doing deep breathing exercising and stretching our muscles even for a few short minutes, helps take the edge off stress. Who doesn’t need that each day?

I heard a wise gal say years ago, since God has made each day and given us 24 hours in it, making time for quiet time with God every day, especially in the morning was like tithing, giving Him the first fruits of our day, it’s giving Him our best so He can work in us to be our best.

What distracts your focus from being your best? Think about it and tailor some quiet time into your day. It’s a healthy habit worth taking daily. When the storm of life begins to rage, you’ll see the healthy difference daily quiet time makes.

Here’s what my “Selah” Quiet Time looks like right now;

*Daily Scripture Memory. I have scriptures written on 3×5 cards that I work on memorizing each day. I work typically work on memorizing at least 1 scripture a week which is very doable.

*Reading the Bible daily. I have a reading plan I read in the Bible every morning. I also keep my Bible open where I’ll read from it often during the day, even reading a verse or two is a powerful focus reminder during the day (great tip I learned from Billy Graham). God tells us all throughout the Bible how important it is to have His word in our heart and mind daily and to live it! “These are not just idle words for you, they are your life.” Deuteronomy 32:47 NIV

*Devotional reading daily. I read a short devotional each morning.

*Daily Journal. I journal every morning in my Thankfulness journal. I pick a different scripture about praise from Psalms or another chapter in the Bible. I write the date on the page, then I write out the praise scripture followed by, “Father, I come to you this morning with Praise and Thanks today for…” then I list 10 different things each day I’m thankful for. I rarely list the same things.

Being still helps me thank him even for the air I breathe to the ability to enjoy hearing the birds sing and everything in between. Daily gratitude helps me to focus on all the good ways God works in my life daily instead of dwelling on negative issues and problems.

*Prayer. It’s communion with Jesus daily that grounds me and helps me focus and give it all to Him.

Quiet time can be changed up and tailored just for you. The important step is doing it daily. You’ll begin to experience the wonderful benefits daily quiet time can bring to your life and your relationship with God and others in your life.

This entry was originally published on Life Beyond Hepatitis C, and is reprinted with permission.