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The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

Starting your day with God sounds simple, but for many people, especially those newer to faith, it can feel unclear or even intimidating. This is a practical guide to building a daily devotional habit rooted in Scripture, modeled after Jesus Himself, and structured around three simple movements: the inward look, the upward look, and the outward look.

Did Jesus Have a Daily Quiet Time?

Before diving into the how, it helps to look at the why. In Mark 1:32-35, we see Jesus spending an entire evening healing the sick and casting out demons. He poured Himself out completely for others. Then, the very next morning, something remarkable happens.

"Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place. And there He prayed." - Mark 1:35

Jesus, fully God and fully man, without sin, walking in extraordinary power and anointing, still felt the need to draw aside and spend time with His Heavenly Father. If He found that necessary, how much more do we need to embrace this as a regular practice in our own lives?

The Inward Look: How to Start Your Day with God

What Does "Be Still" Actually Mean?

The first movement in a daily devotional life is the inward look. This is about learning to rest and receive before the noise of the day begins.

"Be still, and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

Before reaching for your phone, before checking notifications, before the world starts pulling at your attention, take a moment to simply acknowledge God's presence. The problem with distraction is not just that many things compete for your attention. It is the absence of a singular, clear focus on Him.

Jesus Invites You to Come to Him First

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus extends this invitation every single morning. Before the weight of the day settles in, you can come to Him and receive rest for your soul.

A Simple Way to Begin

Try sitting or lying quietly for just two minutes. Take a few deep breaths. Quiet your thoughts and acknowledge His presence. Remind your heart of these truths: you are unconditionally loved, you are fully accepted, and you are fully forgiven.

From there, let thanksgiving flow naturally. Thank Him for your salvation, for His Holy Spirit, for His protection, for your family. What you are doing in those moments is receiving grace. You are humbling yourself before God, and He promises to draw near to you in return.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." - James 4:8

Think of it like a jar of muddy water left to sit on a table. Over time, the sediment settles and the water becomes clear. When you still yourself before the Lord, all the noise and debris of life settles, and the rivers of living water can flow freely.

The Upward Look: How to Read the Bible in Your Devotional Time

Why Reading Scripture Every Day Matters

Once you have quieted your soul and acknowledged God's presence, the next movement is the upward look. This is about getting into the Word of God so the Word of God can get into you.

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and Spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12

Reading Scripture does something that nothing else can. It exposes what is really inside you. It reveals wrong motivations. It brings honesty to places where you might be deceiving yourself. The Holy Spirit, who authored Scripture, will use it to convict, correct, and transform you from the inside out.

"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." - Psalm 119:11

The Three R's: Read, Reflect, Respond

A helpful framework for engaging with Scripture is the three R's.

  • Read: Choose a small passage, five to ten verses, or even just one verse. Read slowly and intentionally. Avoid a box-checking mentality. You are not racing through chapters. You are meeting with God in His Word.
  • Reflect: When something stands out, slow down and park there. Underline it, highlight it, journal about it, or record a voice note. Let the Holy Spirit illuminate what He wants you to see. It might be a single word, a phrase, or a whole section that captures your attention.
  • Respond: Turn what you are reading into prayer. Pray the Word back to God. This keeps you on safe ground because the Word contains God's will.

How to Pray the Bible Back to God

For example, if you are reading John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," turn it into a prayer. Thank Him for loving you personally. Thank Him that you have eternal life. Thank Him that no matter what you face today, death itself does not have the final word.

This is how Scripture moves from information to transformation.

The Outward Look: Committing Your Day to God

How to Surrender Your Day Before It Starts

The third movement is the outward look. After resting in God's presence and receiving from His Word, you rise and step into the day. This is where you release what you have received.

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." - Psalm 37:5

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way." - Psalm 37:23

Before the day begins, mentally walk through what is ahead of you and commit all of it to God. Every conversation, every interaction, every challenge. Ask Him to order your steps. Ask Him to help you represent Him well in every situation.

Declaring God's Promises Over Your Day

One of the most powerful ways to close your quiet time is to declare God's truth and promises out loud over the day ahead. Speak Scripture over yourself. Remind yourself who you are in Christ and what He has promised you.

Verses like "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) and "God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) are not just encouraging words. They are weapons. They are declarations of truth that set the tone for everything that follows.

What Happens When You Start Your Day This Way

Think of an airplane taking off in a storm. The rain is pouring, lightning is flashing, and the turbulence is real. But the plane keeps climbing. At 10,000 feet, then 15,000 feet, it breaks through the clouds and suddenly the sky is clear and blue. The storm is still there, but it is now below you.

That is what a daily devotional life does. When you set your mind on things above and ascend in prayer and praise, the trials and struggles of life do not disappear, but they no longer have the same power over you. You are living above them.

Life Application

This week, commit to starting each morning with these three movements before you reach for your phone or step into the demands of the day. Begin with two minutes of stillness, acknowledging God's presence and thanking Him. Then read five to ten verses of Scripture slowly, reflect on what stands out, and respond by turning it into a prayer. Finally, commit your day to Him and declare at least one Scripture promise out loud before you begin.

It does not have to be an hour. Even ten minutes done consistently will begin to change you from the inside out.

Ask yourself these questions as you build this habit:

  • When I wake up in the morning, what is the first thing I reach for, and what does that reveal about where my focus truly is?
  • Am I approaching Scripture with a heart that wants to be transformed, or am I just checking a box?
  • Do I actually believe that God loves me unconditionally, and am I starting my day from that place of security?
  • What would change in my relationships and daily interactions if I consistently committed my day to God before it began?

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." - Hebrews 12:2

Dial in on Him. Give Him your singular focus. Let everything else blur for just a few minutes each morning. That simple, daily habit of devotion has the power to transform not just your mornings, but your entire life.