My Favorite Devotional Books and Practical Tips for Quiet Time
Hey friends! I love a good devotional book, so I thought I’d share with you a few of my all-time favorites through the years. Of course, devotional books are never a substitute for actually reading the Bible; nor are they God’s word, so you do have to use discernment as you read them. While I didn’t agree with everything in the books I’ve listed below, yet these have all been a help and blessing to me in my Christian life.
Make sure you read to the end for a fun little announcement!
Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. If you are looking for a really “meaty” devotional, this classic would be the one. It contains daily devotions for your mornings and evenings, and will truly be a blessing to your soul as you dive deeper into God’s word. I personally recommend the unabridged edition. If I could only recommend one devotional for your entire life, it would be Morning and Evening.
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. You will find yourself really challenged spiritually by this devotional. I’ll admit that a few of the trains of thought can be a little difficult to follow, but if you read for what you can get from it, you’ll be encouraged to live with complete abandon for Christ. This is a daily devotional for the year.
Extreme Devotion by the Voice of the Martyrs. Drawing from the stories of those who gave their lives for Christ through the centuries, the writers make practical application for how we can live for Christ in our world today. Though I read this one years ago, some of the stories have stayed in my mind and influenced me at the moment I needed it. The devotionals are short but impactful.
When Faith is Forbidden by Todd Nettleton. I know I have mentioned this one a couple times before, so…just read it! It is so good, and I look forward to rereading this 40-day devotional again at some point this year. You’ll get a firsthand view of real, New Testament Christianity and the way many believers are living it out in the most difficult circumstances.
Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman. This year-long devotional will strengthen you to draw nearer to Christ in your relationship with Him, trusting Him in every area of life. It’s mostly made up of quotes from preachers and missionaries throughout history, and I enjoyed the poetry that is sprinkled throughout. I would caution an extra level of discretion on this one since it does occasionally quote people who advocated unbiblical mysticism (this is not the majority of the book, though, so I do recommend it, just with that caveat).
Practical Tips for Your Quiet Time
I’ll be the first to tell you that I am far from perfection in this area; I’m writing to myself here! It can be a struggle in our fast-paced world to slow down and be quiet before the Lord. Some seasons of life are harder than others to be consistent in spending time with God. However, I have found that it is essential to prioritize an intentional time in the Bible as often as possible.
Approach this time with anticipation. You are coming before the presence of the King of Kings, the Creator, and your Savior. The One Who died for you, Who knows you better than you know yourself, Who loves you eternally, and Who is living to make intercession for you.
It can be so easy to get caught up in doing this to feel good about ourselves as Christians, or because it’s on our spiritual “to-do” list. But we need this time with Jesus. Especially when we are getting the constant input of the world the rest of the day (even if that is not what we’d choose), it is crucial to hear the Lord’s voice above all else.
God wants to meet with you. He will draw nigh to you if you draw nigh to Him (James 4:8). Come expecting to get something from this time. Come with a heart of worship and humility. Seek to lay everything else aside, even if just for a few fleeting minutes. Look up to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith and consider Him (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Leave distractions behind. Maybe try to leave your cell phone in another part of the house during quiet time. It is certainly possible to fellowship with God in the midst of noise and activity. But for this intentional time, try to reasonably eliminate distractions. And if all of a sudden you start thinking of the random things you need to do, write them down for later so that you can focus on the Lord.
Incorporate worship. Try praying before, during, and after as a natural part of your meeting with God. Ask Him to open His Word to you. Speak to Him as He speaks to you through the Bible. And afterward, seek His help and guidance for the rest of your day. If music helps you concentrate, then how about playing gentle instrumental music in the background. Another thing that I love to do occasionally is singing a hymn to start off my quiet time.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law (Psalm 119:18).
What’s most important is not when you spend time with God, but that you simply do so. Find a time that works for you. Maybe getting up early is not working for you at this season in life. Though this is not so much the case now, there have been times where mornings did not really go well for me. I had to get up very early and be out the door for work, plus I’m not a morning person, so… if you know, you know! If that’s the case, maybe a better time would be as you wind down for bed. Perhaps some days you’ll need to shift the time around. Be flexible! This is about relationship, not a routine.
And—yes, we should show God that we value our relationship with Him by spending as much time as we can in His word. But, (I’m sure you’ve heard this before) it’s not about quantity; it’s about quality. Don’t get discouraged because you could only spend ten or fifteen minutes in your Bible today. Make the most of that time!
Creative ways to do devotions. In times past, I’ve done more in-depth, personal study and look forward to doing so again in the future. Right now I do lots of Bible study as part of school, so approaching my quiet time more devotionally than academically is important. I’m slowly reading through the Old and New Testaments and Psalms, and I try to write down a verse or passage through which the Lord speaks to me, in my journal.
Sometimes I have had to do devotions on the move; that is, I will pray or listen to Scripture (while driving or doing other life activities) instead of reading. Listening to sermons/preaching podcasts, while not a consistent replacement for actual Bible reading, can be a great way to take in the word of God.
I love doing my devotions outside during the warm weather, or making things cozy with lamplight and blanket on a chilly morning. It can help to have all your devotional materials in one place too, like a cute basket or bag.
A Few Favorites:
Journal. I have this in the brown.
Highlighters. I don’t actually have these yet, but I plan to get myself some very soon. The pastels are lovely.
Cozy blanket (Love this!!! So soft and pretty!)
Meditate (and memorize). And by that, I mean choosing a verse or passage of Scripture to dwell on throughout the day. Think about God’s word; fill your mind with His thoughts. The more time you spend in it, the more it will become a part of your thought life. It’s not just one-and-done when you close your Bible. We want the word of Christ to dwell in us richly all throughout the day!
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).
Above all, remember that the heart is what matters in this, friends. Not checking off a list or spending a certain amount of minutes with your Bible. May we never forget what a privilege we have to know God. Isn’t that an incredible thing?! Jesus died so that we could have fellowship with the Father. While other relationships may come and go in our lives, our relationship with God is the one constant. It is the foundation for a life of joy, contentment and purpose. Join me in “following on to know” the Lord!
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:24
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