Weaponize Your Quiet Time
A “quiet time” is what evangelicals typically call a personal study of Scripture. There is the public study of God’s Word. Every Sunday, the pastor opens up the Scriptures and explains, illustrates, and applies the biblical text. Listening to sound preaching is a vital part of our regular spiritual diet. Yet, for us to engage only in the public teaching of God’s Word is like eating at Chick-fil-A once a week. We would satisfy some of our appetite, but to stay healthy, we need more. So we engage in a personal study of God’s Word. Scripture is the fountain of life for us, so we need to eat and drink of it every day. It’s through the written Word that we meet the living Word, Jesus.
If we do not prioritize our personal study of the Word, it is worth asking what should change in our lives to make it more of a priority. If we do study, and yet we don’t get much out of it, we ought to ask how we can grow in our understanding of and love for Scripture.
When I study the Bible, I grow in my love for God and gain insight into myself, my problems, and the world I live in. I dig into Scripture and meditate on it, turning it over in my heart and mind. I enjoy squeezing everything I can out of it. I store up truth in my heart and carry it with me into my day.
The other day, a friend used this phrase: “Weaponize your quiet time.” It was startling—I don’t typically use the words “weaponize” and “quiet time” in the same sentence. What did he mean?
I don’t know if you’ve ever met a hoarder. Walk into their house, and you won’t be able to see beyond the six-foot piles of junk that sit everywhere. They don’t ever throw anything out. This can be helpful in thinking about our quiet time—biblical truth should never be hoarded. To hold on to it is selfish. God’s truth was never meant to stop with us.
When we weaponize our quiet time, we actively give away the truth God teaches us in our personal study of the Word.
Calling your son? Share with him what you learned about hard work (Prov. 12:11). “Solomon says he who works the land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. How is your work ethic these days?”
Texting with a fellow church member? Tell him what you learned about Christ (Mark 4:35–41). “When Jesus commanded the storm to be still, and the water immediately calmed down, He showed that He is more than a mere man. He is God! Isn’t that amazing?”
Let’s strive to take something from our personal study of Scripture and weaponize it. Let us find someone and boldly and graciously hand them truth. Can we get in the habit of giving out what we have learned in our quiet time to others? Who would we rather look like, a hoarder or a proclaimer and giver of God’s precious truth?
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Deepak Reju
Dr. Deepak Reju is pastor of biblical counseling and family ministry at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He’s author of The Pastor and Counseling and She’s Got the Wrong Guy.