How to Have a Quiet Time
Deepen your relationship with God through intentional Scripture engagement and reflection.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Spending time with God is crucial for deepening your relationship with Him, gaining spiritual nourishment, and growing in faith. It’s in these quiet moments that we can hear God’s voice, receive His guidance, and experience His presence in our lives. However, many people struggle with knowing how to spend this time effectively. Without a clear plan or structure, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or aimless, which often leads to neglecting this vital spiritual practice altogether.
The SOAP and HEAR methods provide simple yet powerful frameworks to guide your quiet time with God. These methods offer a clear plan that helps you engage with Scripture intentionally and meaningfully. By following the steps of Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer (SOAP) or Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond (HEAR), you can structure your time with God in a way that promotes understanding, reflection, and personal growth. These methods help you move beyond passivity and into active, purposeful engagement with God’s Word, making your quiet time not only more productive but also more transformative. Having a plan like this can alleviate the uncertainty of not knowing what to do, enabling you to cultivate a consistent and enriching spiritual practice.
SOAP Method
The SOAP method stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. It’s a simple way to dive deeper into the Bible and apply its teachings to your life.
Scripture: Read a passage of Scripture slowly and carefully. Choose a verse or two that particularly stands out to you and write it down.
Observation: Reflect on the chosen scripture. Write down observations about what the text is saying. Consider the context, the audience, and the key themes. Ask yourself questions like: What is happening? Who is speaking? What is the main message?
Application: Think about how the scripture applies to your life. Write down how you can implement the lessons learned in your daily life. Ask questions like: How does this apply to me today? What changes do I need to make? How can I live this out?
Prayer: Pray over the scripture you’ve read and the insights you’ve gained. Ask God to help you apply His Word to your life and to grow in your understanding and faith.
Hear Method
The HEAR method stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond. It’s another approach to studying Scripture that emphasizes understanding and personal response.
Highlight: Read the selected passage of Scripture and highlight or write down any verses that catch your attention. This step is about identifying key points or themes in the passage.
Explain: Write down what the highlighted verses mean. Consider the context and try to summarize the main points. Ask yourself questions like: What is the author saying? What is the main idea? What is the context?
Apply: Think about how the passage applies to your life. Write down how the truths or principles in the passage relate to your personal circumstances. Consider questions like: How can this verse change me? What does it mean for my life? How can I put this into practice?
Respond: Respond to the passage with action or prayer. Write down a personal response, whether it’s a commitment to change something in your life or a prayer asking for God’s help. This step is about taking what you’ve learned and turning it into a tangible response.