Would you like to develop a quiet time or renewing of the mind habit, but have a hard time making yourself do it?
Sometimes it helps to renew your mind about the renewing of the mind so you can have the strength and desire to do it.
Here are six different sets of questions you can use when you don’t feel like having a quiet time or renewing your mind. If you’d like to print them off, there is a little print button at the end of this post–or you can just copy and paste them into a Word document.
Indulgence
I don’t feel like doing it.
- Why do you want to develop this habit? Be specific.
- Is it easy to develop habits? Why or why not?
- How often will you renew your mind if you only do it when you feel like doing it?
- What sacrifices will you have to make to renew your mind today?
- If you want to develop this habit, will you eventually have to make the sacrifice to work on it?
- If so, what would be the advantage of getting started right now?
- What will your life look like a few months down the road if you persevere daily with this habit?
- What can you thank God for in this situation?
Lack of Importance
It’s not a big deal if I don’t do this today.
- Why do you want to develop this habit? Be specific.
- Why do you feel like it’s not important to work on it today?
- Do you think God wants you to meet with Him today? Why or why not?
- Do you think Satan wants you to meet with God today? Why or why not?
- What will your life look like a few months down the road if you persevere daily with this habit?
- What can you thank God for in this situation?
Reward
I don’t want to make the effort if I can’t guarantee success.
- Why do you want to develop this habit?
- Do you think God wants you to develop this habit? Why or why not?
- If so, what would His reasons be?
- Are His reasons different than your reasons? If so, how are they different?
- Can you guarantee that God will give you what you want (victory with your habit, freedom from your negative emotions, etc.) if you make the sacrifice to renew your mind?
- Would His fellowship during the process be a reward even if you don’t get what you want?
- Is there anything you need to trust Him with?
- Is there anything you need to accept?
- What can you thank God for in this situation?
Procrastination
I’ll do it later.
- Why do you want to develop the habit of the renewing of the mind?
- Why do you want to put it off until later?
- In the past, have you been good at renewing your mind later? If not, what usually happens?
- Is this one of those things where the longer you put it off, the more you’ll dread it?
- What are you dreading most about it?
- Can you break the process down into smaller, less intimidating steps?
- What is one thing you could do right now that you wouldn’t dread?
- Why don’t you try doing that and see if it helps to jumpstart you? If it doesn’t, try praying through a couple of the renewing of the mind Bible verses. If you’re still having problems, try some of the other sets of renewing-of-the-mind questions.
Lack of Time
I’m too busy.
- Why do you feel like you can’t renew your mind today?
- How much time would it take to do it?
- Which of the following is true:
- You really don’t have time to renew your mind.
- You could make the time, but you’d rather not.
- You’re an all-or-nothing person and if you can’t do it the way you want to do it, you’d rather not do it at all.
- You dread the thought of renewing your mind, and time is a good excuse.
- If you’re really busy today, could you still squeeze out five minutes to renew your mind?
- What would be the value of spending five minutes on it?
- If you don’t follow through on your commitment today, will it be harder to do tomorrow? Why or why not?
- Is there anything you could do today to help make it easier to renew your mind tomorrow? If so, what could you do?
- If this is an ongoing problem, would it be possible to make some time to renew your mind by cutting down on some of your other activities?
- If so, what could you cut out of your schedule to allow time to renew your mind?
Lack of Time (Hard-Core Version)
I don’t have time to meet with God.
- In the past 48 hours, how much time have you spent in the following activities? Be specific.
- YouTube
- Television
- Texting
- Computer games
- Hobbies
- Recreational activities
- Hanging out with friends
- Exercise
- Reading
- Wandering around your house or apartment
- Work that isn’t required to support yourself and/or your family
- Would it be possible to make some time to renew your mind by cutting down on some of your other activities?
- If so, what could you cut out of your schedule to allow time to renew your mind?
- Is there any reason you couldn’t start renewing your mind right now?
- If not, why don’t you go ahead and get started?
P.S. Click here for renewing of the mind Bible verses.
You can find more questions and Bible verses like these in the Renewing of the Mind Project.
Having a list of questions like this can be really helpful, especially when one struggles with figuring out how to renew their mind on their own. They can easily be guided through the process with these types of questions. Very thorough, Barb!
Thanks, Kari. I just gathered material from my own excuses for starting a writing habit!
Well you slowly painted me into the corner! That’s a comprehensive list, Barb. That pretty much eliminates any excuses to not draw nigh unto God. It is always a choice.
My usual time is on Saturdays with an in depth Bible study. It changes everything about my spirit and perspective bringing peace beyond circumstances. This summer has been non stop travel with me rarely being home on Saturdays and around all my sources, concordance etc. But in the end, it’s always a choice and how we use our free will. I have no excuse… and needed the prodding. Thanks, sister.
That sounds like a great Saturday, Floyd. That’s one of the things I love about quiet times and the renewing of the mind. It always makes me more peaceful.
Great questions! Well thought out and thorough.
At the moment time is precious, however, I know God is more important. So I’m cutting back on my blogging and letting some other things go.
Thanks for this reminder. Time to wrap up my blogging for today and get into the Word!
Thanks, TC. I appreciate you.
This list is too comprehensive. Where’s my out? Dang.
Haha, thought I’d just get them all out there in one shot. :)
Great list of questions.
Thanks, Bernard.
This so easily ties into what Kari and I have been writing about, I believe I’ll be linking into this as well as putting up on Saturday :)
Thanks, Barb!
Thanks, Rick, I’m really enjoying the series you and Kari are doing on the discipline of silence. I have learned to love silence and my times with God – but I wasn’t always that way. I actually learned to love it through the renewing of the mind – truth journaling in particular.
Thanks, Barb! It is all linked, though we don’t always see the connections with human eyes until *much* farther along in the process. We’re slow that way :)
Wow, “Lack of time hardcore version” is just that, hardcore! I think your right, when we add up how much time we spend on other things we really can’t say that we don’t have the time!
Haha, yes, I’m afraid those questions are a little “in your face.” I was wondering if I should post them, so I decided to just post them with the hardcore warning. :) Not for the fainthearted!
What an in depth article. I think you are right with the “lack of importance” section. I think that’s where most people miss it. Love this post.
Thanks – and thanks for stopping by! I find that it’s always easier to make myself do things when I think they’re important. And since the church doesn’t really teach much about the renewing of the mind, it’s hard to see it as important – even though we might say it is.
Just looked at your blog – it looks great! I look forward to browsing through it later. Especially the posts on time management as I need help with that!
Thanks so much Barb.
Barb, what a great list of questions. They can be applied to any area of life we’d like to change. I cherish my morning quiet time habit. Sure can use these is several other parts of my life where procrastination and/or avoidance take over. I love the way you make me think!
Thanks, Deb – I actually wrote these questions to get myself to write. Then when I saw people in my Bible studies struggling to take the time to renew their minds, I tweaked them and turned them into renewing of the mind questions. But you’re right, you can use them for any area of life you want to change.
The hard-core version..wow. I smiled at wandering around the house/apartment because that’s me! Infact I’ve just returned from a small walk-around before reading the article :)
Thanks for these reminders. No excuses :( (a good thing!)
Haha, that’s funny, Ngina – a small walk-around. That makes it sound festive. :)
I enjoyed your list of Bible Verses for renewing the Mind. Our thought life is so important and our choices as to how and what we think on will make or break us.
I found you at Rick’s Saturday Shortcuts #10
Agreed, Hazel! Thanks for stopping by!
Barb, this is a post I am going to copy and put in my file for future use as well as right now. We so need “hard core” truth…not watered down but truth we have wept over and struggled with ourselves for then it becomes real in our lives. Great post my courageous wise hearted sister.
Thanks, Betty. I love the way you describe hard core truth – watered down vs. weeping over it. So interesting and so descriptive. So often, I’ve wept over truth because as I begin to see life from a biblical perspective, I start realizing, “What?? God wants me do to that??” And the answer of course is “Yes, He wants me to do that.” Dying to self isn’t easy but in my experience, but often it’s the truth that gives us the strength to submit.
Great and practical post! I’m getting into the habit of using my commute time to spend with God and renew my mind. I also take time (whenever I can) to go to the beach to pray and think. I think anyone can make time for renewing their minds and connecting with God if they place a high value on it.
I love your commuting habit, Dan, plus I think it would be wonderful to spend time with God at the beach. What a great setting with the ocean and the sound of the waves coming in. I have times like that when we go hiking and backpacking. While my husband and kids are fishing, I’ll sit and spend time with God or write. At home I sit out on the deck to have my quiet time whenever it’s warm enough. It’s been a bit chilly the last few mornings, but I have a warm blanket and a cup of coffee so that helps!
Being in nature is so nourishing. I really enjoyed this post:)
You know,to me this seems like the same foundational issues with losing weight, or studying, or learning a musical instrument, or so many of the things that we want to do but aren’t really serious about. Knowing what to do is one thing. Having the willpower, discipline, and the DESIRE to do it is what makes it happen.
I agree, Loren. These questions give me the desire to follow my boundaries in areas where I don’t have natural discipline and self-control. As I answer the questions and think about my responses, I can feel my desires changing.
For me, that is the ‘magical’ part, Barb…”As I answer the questions and think about my responses, I can feel my desires changing.” I recently learned about your materials, and your questions are really good! After having read so many, many self-help books (Christian ones included), something about reading and answering your questions is working to produce the transformation I have wanted in several areas for a long time. I actually do feel my desires changing as I work through your questions.
Lori, that’s so exciting! Thanks for letting me know – it encourages me as well! I’m glad the questions are helping.