Why Is It So Difficult to Spend Time with Jesus?

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The Importance of Spending Time with Jesus

A unique feature of people who have come to know Jesus Christ personally as their Lord, Savior, and friend, is the practice of spending time with Him as one would with a dear human friend. However, this habit known by such descriptors as a Quiet Time, Devotions, or Practicing the Presence of God often does not come easy even though its importance is so often touted by giants of the faith. Listen to what some lovers of God have said:

“I ought to pray before seeing any one…Christ arose before day and went into a solitary place. David says: ‘Early will I seek thee’…I feel it is far better to begin with God–to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another” ~  Robert Murray M’Cheyne

“If we don’t maintain a quiet time each day, it’s not really because we are too busy; it’s because we do not feel it is important enough… Late nights kill the quiet time… Quiet time is not just a helpful idea, it is absolutely necessary to spiritual growth” ~ George Sweeting

“Our prayers lay the track down on which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails” ~ Watchman Nee

“Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude; an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God” ~ Arthur W. Pink

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees” ~ Corrie ten Boom

Those who have a personal relationship with Jesus will whole-heartedly agree with these quotes about the importance of spending time with Jesus. As believers in the God who died for us and now lives in our hearts in the person of the Holy Spirit, we naturally have a hunger within us to know Him by spending time with Him. So, what is it that interferes with the habit of seeking His face? There are many reasons. A few are listed below.

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What Interferes with Seeking the Face of Jesus?

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One Reason to Practice God’s Presence

So, what is a good thing to do if you find time with Jesus extremely difficult to practice? There are many habits you could pursue like having a consistent time and place for your devotions, using a notebook or computer to write down what God says to you, making arrangements with a friend to keep you accountable, starting with five-minute increments to be with Jesus, praying for the desire to pray, and so on.

Today, I am only going to leave you with one thought in this battle for a consistent time with Jesus. The source of my thought begins with Isaiah 26:3 where it says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

With all the anxiety, fear, unrest, even dread in this current world, how amazing to experience perfect peace! How do we acquire such peace? Isaiah says it is by keeping our minds “stayed” on God.

A similar concept to “stayed” appears in Hebrews 12:1,2 where it mentions that we must “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” In addition to our minds being stayed on God in Isaiah 26, here in Hebrews our gaze is fixed on Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 also refers to amazing peace when it says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So, there you have it. Isaiah, Hebrews, and Philippians all point to the truth that as you spend time with Jesus through prayer, thanksgiving, setting your mind on Him, and looking at Him as you run the race of life, you will have “perfect peace” and a peace “that surpasses understanding.”

Does this deep peace come overnight or in a few weeks? No, this deep experience of peace comes as you consistently look at Him and keep your mind “stayed” on Him over weeks, months, years, and decades.

I have recognized in my own life that my devotions over the years have not always been exciting. In fact, spending time with Jesus has sometimes felt like work—not always motivated by excitement but by disciplined practice. I have found, however, that as I spend decade after decade practicing God’s presence, I have a growing peace that sometimes does feel perfect and amazing. Spending time with Jesus is indeed like making small deposits in a bank account that do not seem that impressive individually but that over time grow into a huge investment of peace and joy and love.

In summary, one motivation to make it a habit to spend time with God is that, over time, you will see that the small seeds of regular devotions will eventually grow up into a towering tree of perfect peace. As the old line goes, Know Jesus and know peace. No Jesus and no peace.

In addition to receiving God’s peace organically, you might also save yourself years in therapy!

So, seek Him with all your heart consistently and you will have a peace that passes understanding!

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you ~ Isaiah 26:3