Rich Grindey

What distracts and gets in the way of having regular quiet times?

To be honest, all manner of things can distract and get in the way of quiet times.

I think that probably the main thing that makes it difficult for me personally is to not be in a routine in the first place - and I rarely am - whether that’s a routine specifically for quiet times, or just general day-to-day life. If I can get into devoting some kind of regular slot each day for praying or reading the Bible, then that really helps, but I often find that this may last for a few weeks or maybe a month or so before petering out, and I become pretty lax and get back into a routine of not having a quiet time.

Other than the routine aspect, distractions seem to come from anywhere… feeling tired (either struggling to get up on time, or feeling too tired in the evening); the computer; the Playstation; needing to do this or that around the house; reading another book instead; deciding I need to ring a friend. The list goes on. Couple any of these with my pretty short attention span and it becomes quite difficult at times. It still surprises me though… I often find myself wondering why I find it so difficult to just sit down for 10 / 15 / 30 minutes and read the Bible or pray, because when I do I find it just as rewarding (if not more so) than any of the other things that I might do instead. I don’t read lots of books, but I don’t know why I can sit relatively easily and get through 50 pages of a novel, but then struggle to read 2 or 3 pages of the Bible. I still haven’t gotten to the bottom of that one yet.

What encourages you or helps you to have regular quiet times?

Anything that makes me reflect on the value of having some quiet time. So, for instance, even just being asked these questions and trying to answer them, brings it back to the forefront of my mind, so I’m encouraged to try get into a good routine again.

Conversations with friends can help too. It’s good when people ask about how quiet times are going, or even just talk about them in general conversation, because that, too, is a reminder to persevere with them. Last year, myself and Ed decided to ring each other in the mornings to make sure we were up and about in time to read the Bible before going off to work. It worked quite well - I think particularly at the beginning, because competitiveness meant that we were both determined to be up before the other one of us rang!

Once I’m in the habit of having a quiet time regularly, that can also be a great help, because I know how much I enjoy it, so it encourages me the next day, and so on.

Practically, I think a good place to sit without too many distractions can also really help.

What has most helped you grow as a Christian over the past two years?

I think there’s probably three main things. Each helping in a slightly different way.

One of them is Naomi, who I know really wants me to grow as a Christian, and regularly encourages me to persevere and pray. She has been a real constant source of help to me in many ways, but especially in this area.

Another is being able to attend a house group. I find it really helpful to be able to get to know a smaller group of people from our church family and to spend time with them. It is good for developing friendships, but from there it is a great way to discuss the Bible and life in a deeper (perhaps more personal) way than we are able to do on a Sunday morning. Week to week, we can also keep encouraging each other in certain areas that we might be finding difficult.

Finally, I think the other thing that has helped is being part of a church where I consistently hear the message of the Bible carefully explained every week. I think that this has been as important as anything over the last couple of years in helping me to understand and then trust in the promises of God that we are told in the Bible.

Do you have any thoughts/wisdom on how to get the most out of Sunday mornings/ home groups/ meeting Christian friends during the week?

I think it is good to try to develop an attitude of gratefulness for the church family we are part of. We won’t always agree on issues, but if we can be grateful to God for each other I think that we will find it easier to be able to be patient and more loving and caring for each other.

Turning up and getting involved can be really helpful too. It doesn’t just help others, but by focusing on what we can offer, I think it helps us to think more about the church as a whole rather than ourselves as individuals. You don’t have to be loud or confident and at the front - you can be quiet and perhaps more shy than others, and still play just as an important role in helping the rest of the church.

Something I keep meaning to do, is get some kind of prayer diary going (so that I can remember who or what to pray for). Hopefully that will help me to be focused in quiet times too!

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