With all the knowledge I’ve gleaned and used over the years as a marriage counselor and life coach, none of that really made as big of a difference in my marriage as connecting daily with God.

But the biggest challenge for most people seems to be establishing that sacred habit.

So today I will be sharing some biblical insights and practical ways to light that fire in your life.

Two Biblical Insights that are Key to Getting it Going . . .

1. We must have a new heart through a saving relationship with God or we won’t desire to study God’s word.

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” ~1 Corinthians 2:14

Click on my “Know God” page to know more about this all-important decision.

[bctt tweet=”You’ve got to know God to want to know God through His word. #BibleStudy #spiritualgrowth” username=”BethSteffaniak”]

2. We must look for and desire God with our whole hearts.

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”  Jeremiah 29:13

I believe God works to increase our desire in two important ways . . .

• We desire God more fervently when we know trouble is coming.
  Sometimes you’re simply proactive and wise enough to know you need God’s word to prevent or deal with the dangers and challenges of life and marriage before they wreck your life.
• We desire God most when trouble has already hit.
  For me, my marriage messes and the challenges of life were what God used the most to reveal my need for Him and His truths. So sometimes it’s simply a matter of being in desperate need of the Lord before You actually seek Him with a whole heart.

So, how do you establish this sacred habit?

Six Tips for Getting Your Quiet Times Started . . .

1. Ask God to give you the tenacity to keep this habit in place in your life.

That’s a prayer that He WILL answer. No doubt about it, my friends! 😉

2. Determine the best time of day/night and put it on your calendar.

You might go so far as to set an alarm or to ask someone to hold you accountable in some way, especially in the early stages.

3. Be realistic about what you plan to accomplish each day.

If you’re in the sleep-deprived and diaper phase of life, then try to read a 5-minute devotional or one Scripture verse or passage daily. Just try to reflect on it all throughout your day so that it soaks into your parched and weary soul.

When you have more available time in your day, don’t bite off more than you’re used to chewing. Slowly increase as you go along so that you avoid getting discouraged. And if you “fall off the wagon,” get back up quickly without beating yourself up over it!

Remember this is about establishing a “rhythm” in your day and not an “obligation,” making it feel more like a dance than a drudgery.

4. Make it your goal to have your “God time” at the same time each day for at least 21 consecutive days.

It takes a minimum of 21 days to get a habit going. Really 40 days or more is recommended. 😉 But you could add those extra days to your original goal, once you’ve made it to day 21.

And it’s the consistency of the same time each day that helps you to remember to make it happen. If having it at the same time each day doesn’t work for your schedule, then be sure to use that calendaring trick I mentioned above under #2.

5. Find the best spot to have your time with God.

It should be free of distractions and comfortable. You should also have handy all the needed “tools” for your time in God’s word.

6. Set the mood and atmosphere.

I love to listen to instrumental music while poring God’s word. It really aids me in my time of worship and study.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.  Psalm 34:8

I also increase my enthusiasm to “taste and see that the Lord is good” by pouring myself a cup of tasty coffee as well. See what I did there? #funnypun #coffeelover #Biblelover

These positive details really do help to reinforce my habit. (My Bible study habit, not just my caffeine habit!)

Next week, I’ll be sharing how to deal with the hurdles that inevitably occur when you start this important and sacred habit.

“Blessed is the one … whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

What biblical insight would you add about igniting the desire to know God through His word?

What tips would you add for establishing this sacred habit in your day and life?