7 Tips to Cultivate Time in the Secret Place

One of the best ways to deepen your relationship with God is to spend time in His presence in the secret place. It can be easy to feel like you just don’t have the time or energy to go there daily. This alone can make you feel like you’re missing out on other parts of life that need your attention instead. This post will cover: Setting aside dedicated time for God, listening to worship music, scripture reading, journaling, prayer, devotions and distractions.

1) Set aside dedicated time for the secret place

Setting aside dedicated time to spend with God in the secret place is one of the most effective ways to cultivate a deeper relationship with Him. When we just go about our day with no real plan to meet with God, it will not happen. Therefore, we need a specific time and place set aside to cultivate time with God in the secret place. If we don’t plan for it and keep it sacred, the chaos of the day will take over. It will not happen. Then days and weeks go by, and we have not taken time to be with God. It must become a priority that is the #1 place in our life and our schedules. God must be first!

2) Listen to worship music

Listening to worship music can be one of the best ways to cultivate time in the secret place. It gives you an atmosphere that encourages adoration and worship. Engaging with worship music can also be a great way to disconnect from your phone or computer. To focus on just being with God. Worship music is one of those things that deepens our time with God. It ushers in His presence as we give Him honor and reverence. It helps us refocus our attention and connect with the Holy Spirit through praise and worship.

3) Meditate through Scripture reading

Knowing God’s Word is the only true way to know His heart! It will give you insight into the daily struggles you face. Help bring comfort to your soul when you are going through a tough time. It is important to set aside some time each day for this activity. Meditating through scripture reading does not have to be hard. We simply open the Bible to a scripture and think on it, let it penetrate our heart and mind. Write it out, keep it on your heart. Put it on a sticky note and post it where you will see it throughout the day. Memorize it and hide it in your heart to easily recall it in your time of need. It is more than just reading His Word. Allow God’s love to penetrate deep within your heart through His written word.

4) Journal your thoughts, feelings, prayers

Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and prayers can be helpful. This will give you the opportunity to gain clarity and insight into your situation. God’s Word has powerful revelations for our lives and what we are going through. Journaling your thoughts, feelings, and prayers can help you know how God is speaking to you through His Word. It provides a history and legacy of your time with God. You can then reflect on it over the days, weeks or years ahead. New things that you long forgot will be highlighted to you, relevant to the season you are currently in today.

5) Read books about prayer

Reading books about prayer can deepen your relationship with God and your secret place time. Prayer isn’t just about talking with God or telling Him what you want. It’s about hearing what He has to say. Prayer is active, not passive. It is a dialogue, not a monologue. No matter how you do it, reading about prayer can help cultivate a deeper relationship with God. Reading about prayer can help you cultivate a better prayer life for yourself. Cultivating a stronger prayer life cultivates a deeper relationship with God in the secret place.

6) Spend time in the Scriptures and during devotions

Spending time in the scriptures and during devotions can help cultivate the time you spend in the secret place. The psalmist wrote, “Show me the way, O Lord, and I will walk in it. Hold my hand lest I fall.” Psalm 119:133-134. Bible reading is a privilege and opportunity that should not be wasted as we wait upon Him. Therefore, as we mentioned earlier, it is more than just reading scripture. It requires discipline and commitment of your time, which are skills vital in being successful in this pursuit. Simply reading a good devotional every morning is not enough. We need to look up the scriptures in God’s Word. Study them out, and dig deep to know what God is saying to us. If we desire real change in our life. It only comes through spending time in the scriptures and cultivating a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit.

7) Get away from distractions

Developing a deeper relationship with God doesn’t require fancy gadgets or more hours spent. It only requires time in His presence in the secret place. The secret place can be anywhere–at home, outside, alone. A location you feel is most conducive for your spiritual growth and faith development. Pick it and make it sacred by getting away from distractions that might pull you away from him.

Putting it all together to cultivate time in the secret place

The secret place is where God meets with us and communicates to us in a very personal way. With our busy schedules today, it’s easy to get sidetracked with distractions. It becomes easier to make time in the secret place a priority when we devote time to seeking Him first! As a result, you will begin to long for your time in the secret place. It will no longer seem like a chore, something you forget to do, or something you need to check off your list. Before long, it will become the one thing that gets you through your day that you simply cannot live without. The one thing that no matter what life throws at you, your secret place time will be a priority!

For review, to cultivate time in the secret place with God, we need to start by:

• Setting aside time during your day or week where you’ll dedicate that time just for the secret place.

• Cultivate an atmosphere of adoration and worship through music. 

• Meditate and memorize scripture to allow God into your heart through His Word.

• Journal your thoughts, feelings or what He is speaking to you. 

• Read books about prayer to deepen your relationship with God and cultivate a better prayer life.

• Develop the discipline of reading the Bible and having daily devotions to cultivate your time in the secret place. 

• Get away from distractions. Create a distraction free zone for your secret place time, and keep it sacred. No phones, no computers, no people, just you, your Bible, your journal and God!

I pray this blesses you today and helps you cultivate a closer relationship with the Father in the secret place. May God abundantly bless your time with Him each day. May He open your eyes to see how beautiful life can be when we put God first in our day!

Love and Hugs,

Teresa