7 Simple Ways to Stay Consistent in Your Quiet Time
At first I didn’t want to write this blog post because in all honesty – I just read my Bible for the first time in the past four days. That’s right. Even as I sit down to talk about how to be consistent I have to be honest up front: I am still learning these lessons.
Everyday I have a choice (and you do too), will I work on my relationship with God or not? After missing a few days it is easy to “feel behind” and then give up. Developing an intimacy with God is something I’ve had to constantly work on in my own life.
Friend, here is a truth I’ve had to face: intimacy and closeness I desire to feel with God only comes with prayer and Bible reading. It is through consistent time with God that I’ve seen my relationship with Him grow over time.
Consistency in our quiet time isn’t about doing more—it’s about making it simple enough to keep showing up.
What Consistency Really Means
Let’s talk about what consistency in Bible reading/study and prayer really means. First of all, it is not perfect. Whatever picture you have in your mind of the perfect quiet time experience, get it out! For me, I used to think the house had to be quiet for me to have a quiet time. As a mom of five kids, all close in age, there was a season when that was impossible!
Another thought to get rid of is this idea that everyday has to be deeply emotional or profoundly interesting. Bible study can be amazingly comforting and provide such valuable insights – but not everyday will be like that. That’s a hard truth for someone like me who likes to feel something when she reads her Bible.
The perfect quiet time, full of deep revelations and an emotional connection doesn’t really exist everyday. The key to being consistent is to return again and again to God’s word. Consistency is not a perfect streak but a faithful return.
7 Simple Ways to Stay Consistent in Your Quiet Time
So how do you do this? Let’s start with these seven simple ways to keep returning. Feel free to use any or all of these ways to start being consistent today!
1. Start Smaller Than You Think
- 5–10 minutes is enough
- One verse is enough
Small faithfulness builds lasting habits.
2. Remove the Pressure to Be “Deep”
- Not every day will feel meaningful
- That’s okay
God is still at work, even in quiet, ordinary moments.
3. Have a Simple Plan
- Decision fatigue is real
- Use a reading plan
Here are some to choose from!
- Gospel Reading Plan
- Knowing God Through the Psalms
- Lonely Bible Reading Plan
- New Hope Reading Plan
- Paul’s Letters Reading Plan
- Psalm 119 Reading Plan
4. Know What to Do When You Sit Down
- This is where people get stuck
If you often wonder what to write or how to respond, my Bible Note-Taking Ideas Cheat Sheet gives simple, practical ideas to help you engage Scripture right away.
5. Keep a Simple Method
- Avoid overcomplicating
I also use a simple 4-step method—read, notice, write, respond—that helps me stay focused without overthinking. Click here to download this “messy” method.
6. Attach It to Something You Already Do
- Morning coffee
- Before bed
- After school drop-off
7. Expect Interruptions—and Begin Again
- Life will disrupt your rhythm
- Missing a day is not failure
You can always begin again.
A Simple Way to Start Again
Sometimes the hardest part of a quiet time isn’t knowing what to do—it’s simply beginning again. I know because I’ve been there. I will restart tomorrow!
If you’ve felt inconsistent or unsure where to start, let today be simple. Choose a short passage of Scripture, even just a few verses, and resist the pressure to read more than you can truly take in. Then, use one small idea or method to help you engage—maybe you write a single sentence about what stood out, underline a repeated word, or whisper a short prayer in response.
You don’t need a complicated system or a long list of steps. What matters most is showing up with an open heart. Keep your time small, gentle, and focused, trusting that God meets you in these quiet moments of attention. Over time, these small beginnings begin to shape a steady rhythm, not because you’ve done it perfectly, but because you’ve kept coming back.
You don’t have to make up for missed days or try to do more to catch up. You can simply begin again, right where you are, with what you have today. Say this prayer and let me know if you need additional help!
“Lord, help me return to You in the small moments.
Give me grace to begin again, and a heart that desires Your Word.”
