Recently, the Holy Spirit reminded me that He had asked me to start my days spending time with Him. I kind of let that alone time become sporadic. I started this practice last year after Leland died. My friend Susan told me about it – and to have a notepad ready because He would talk to me. 

I learned to SIT QUIETLY. I started out last year praying and singing in the Spirit, but quickly learned to BE QUIET.  Seeing a pattern here? He can’t talk if I’m talking. Now I thank Him for meeting with and talking to me. Then I – yes – shut up. Sitting quietly, I soon learned His voice. 

When learning how to spend this quiet time, here are mistakes I made and Lessons Learned.

It’s not how LONG of a time you spend – it is that you DO it. He is well aware how much time you have and if you need to go somewhere. And write down everything you ‘hear’ (or think you do). You will learn what’s Him and what’s not. 

I got up, made my coffee – and learned NOT to check my texts. I learned NOT to turn the computer on. I learned NOT to check Word podcasts. All this can be done AFTER. For me, personally, I can’t play music. I would start singing with it. It distracts me.

It is important to have a separate paper or index card or something. Why? You would NOT believe the distractions. Just jot them down and go on.

You will suddenly think of something for your shopping or to-do list.
Did you remember to put the creamer up?
You might think about changing clothes. Washing your hair. What to eat for breakfast. Checking up on a sick friend. Putting your makeup on.

Then while you’re sitting there, you hear noises you normally don’t notice like the rumble of a teenager’s truck going to school. Someone mowing their lawn. The trash being picked up. I solved most noises by running a desk fan for ambient (white) noise. 

The more alone time you spend with the Holy Spirit, the easier it gets to hear from Him. You will recognize His voice better and more clearly. 

Putting the Holy Spirit first every morning starts your day off right. He will tell you all kinds of things, like how to do something you’ve been struggling with. How to handle a frustrating person.  You even become better at hearing Him in other places – like at work, needing to know how to solve an impossible work problem. 

One time at work, Leland needed documentation in order to finish up the paperwork on an important job. It was OLD paperwork, a job long completed. He prayed and asked the Holy Spirit what to do. He was impressed to go downstairs to a certain desk in an empty office (where the former contractors had worked). He pulled one of the desk drawers open – and there was the paperwork he needed, stuck at the back of the drawer. How? Only the Holy Spirit knows.

There is no limit to what the Holy Spirit will tell you or show you. It helps if you will spend that quiet alone time with Him because you need to know His voice. He is your secret weapon for success.

♥♥

Acts 1:8 (He gives us power)
Romans 8:26-27 (He helps us pray when we don’t know what to pray)
John 14:26 (He will remind us of what Jesus said – actually He will bring all things to our memory, even test information we studied for!)
John 15:13 (He will guide us in all truth [what God says] and He will show us the future)