Finding 'Room' for Faith

Even when you live a Simple Life, your days can get busy. Often, we find our time is filled with so many things, we have very little room left over for spending time with God. And often, if we are able to squeeze in some quiet time for devotionals, we can’t seem to find the solitary space we need. 

If necessary, we may just pull up a chair, open our Bible, and start focusing on God. And this is a good thing. 

However, if your intention is to truly dig deep, it helps to have a little more privacy than that. Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee may work well if you are at home alone. But if your family is there, you may be subjected to distractions. 

In Matthew 6:6, Jesus tells us to go into our ‘inner room’ to pray. But where can we find that ‘inner room’, and be sure we aren’t distracted? 

Listen in and discover some practical ideas of creating your own Inner Room. And once you find it, learn how to set it up and what supplies will come in handy. Then settle in for a more fulfilling time of prayer and devotion!

The Farm Wife (website)

The Virtual Porch (email)

Transcript

Even when you live a Simple Life, your days can get busy. Often, we find our time is filled with so many things, we have very little room left over for spending time with God. And often, if we are able to squeeze in some quiet time for devotionals, we can’t seem to find the solitary space we need. 

If necessary, we may just pull up a chair, open our Bible, and start focusing on God. And this is a good thing. 

However, if your intention is to truly dig deep, it helps to have a little more privacy than that. Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee may work well if you are at home alone. But if your family is there, you may be subjected to distractions. 

In Matthew 6:6, Jesus tells us to go into our ‘inner room’ to pray. The Greek word used for this roughly translates to a closet used for storage, similar to a pantry. I don’t know about yours, but I wouldn’t fit in my pantry. 

However, Jesus wasn’t asking you so much to close yourself up in your pantry. Instead, he was asking you to first, find a place to pray and worship that had no distractions, and second, to open the door of that ‘secret’ room in your heart that is dedicated just for Him. 

Jesus had an ‘open air’ room when He went up the mountain or settled into the garden to pray. Undoubtedly, He also found other private places when a garden or mountaintop wasn’t readily available. But no matter what, He still took time to pray. 

Many of us don’t have pantries or walk-in closets large enough to use as both a storage area and a place to pray. But that shouldn’t stop us from finding a quiet spot for worship. 

Let’s look at how we can create a place where we can spend quiet time with God. 

As we have already talked about, your inner room doesn’t have to be a closet, pantry, or a room at all. Instead, it just needs to be a quiet place where you can fully devote yourself to worship without distractions. 

Take a look at each room in your home. Is there a place to sit? Does it have doors that can be closed? Study each room to see what level of privacy is available. 

As you explore possible places, take a moment to ‘feel’ the room. If the space is cluttered or overwhelmed with furniture, it may cause you to feel anxious. However, if that same room has a window that overlooks a pleasant outside space, it could still work. You may just need to spend a bit of time getting rid of the clutter. What you are searching for is a room that offers comfort, peace, and calm. 

For most of us, our bedrooms or a guest room are the ideal spot. We have a window to look out of. There is a door that can be closed. And usually, there is at least enough room for a small chair and side table. 

If another room in your home ‘feels’ better for worship, but is lacking the privacy you need, you can still consider it as an alternative space.

I have a small room between the living room and kitchen that I use as a library. It does have doors, a very comfortable chair with a side table and a lamp. It would ordinarily be perfect as a place for worship – however, it is the only way to get from one end of the house to the other. I use this spot as my alternate place when I know there will be no one else in the house. 

Some of us just have busy homes, and it is difficult to find a quiet place to pray. But there is that one room…

Primarily, it is just the two of us who live here. But periodically, our home is filled to overflowing with our kids, grandkids, and their friends. A closed door is no barrier for a four-year-old who wants attention from Gran. But it didn’t take long for me to discover the beauty of having a bathroom.

You may be laughing but think about it. What is the one place you can almost be guaranteed privacy for a few minutes? And when things get really hectic and my heart longs for a quiet place to pray, I discovered that by placing a towel on the floor next to the bathtub, I have a perfect place to have a quiet chat with God. 

Sometimes finding a quiet inner room can be difficult. It may be a last-ditch effort, but you can still find one, even if you need to employ a bit of ingenuity and creativity to find it. 

And here’s a thought. Your inner room doesn’t have to be a room in the house, either. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often slipped away to the wilderness to pray.  The Bible records Him praying on mountains and gardens, as well as the wilderness. Spending time with His Father was a priority, and Jesus always found time to do it – and it didn’t matter where. 

Our ‘inner room’ doesn’t have to be a literal four-walls-and-a-door kind of place. It can also be a quiet spot in your backyard. All you need is a place to sit. This can be under a shade tree, on a porch, or in a garden. 

We have a prayer bench set up down by our pond. The walls of our ‘inner room’ are made from trees, the ‘door’ is a dirt peninsula, and the ‘window’ is a small body of water. 

The only drawback to using an Outer Place for an Inner Room is the weather. If you have a covered area, you may not be as affected by rain as you would be sitting under a shade tree, but you may need a heat source if that precipitation is more white flakes than wet drops. 

Extremely hot or cold weather may not be conducive either, as you may find yourself focusing on your comfort level, rather than your devotions. If you do have an Outer Place you love to sit for prayer, consider it an alternative – rather than the main place.

Once you have found a place for your inner room, you need to set it up to reflect your devotionals. Remember, it doesn’t have to be huge. Nor do you have to have everything I talk about next.  The main focus is to have a chair, and possibly a place to store your Bible, a notebook, and a pen. The main requirements for this space are quiet, comfortable, and with little or no risk of disruptions. 

First, let’s talk about small spaces. As for the chair, find one you can sit in for 30 minutes or more. It can be a rocker, an overstuffed chair, or even an office chair. If there is still a little room left over, consider adding a small table. This will allow you to have a lamp and a place for your Bible, notebook, and a pen. 

In addition to a chair and side table, a medium size space may allow you to have a basket beside your chair as well. This basket can be used to hold devotional books, study guides, and your Gratitude and Prayer Journal.

If you have a larger space, it may be helpful to add either a desk or a small bookshelf. 

Devotion time is first and foremost a time to study God’s Word and pray. But devotion time can also be used to write in a Gratitude Journal, update our prayer list, or send note cards of encouragement, support, celebration, or condolences. This is when having a desk comes in handy.

A small bookshelf helps you to keep all of your devotional books, study guides, research books (such as a Concordance) and your Bible(s) handy.

Now that you have given some thought to where your inner room may be and what will fit in the space, let’s talk about the supplies You may - or may not – need. Supplies can be as simple as having your Bible, a notebook, and a pen at the ready. By keeping them in your inner room, you won’t have to take up part of your devotional time trying to find them. 

Here are a few more that may come in handy:

Having a notebook is beneficial. While studying God’s word, a Bible verse may resonate strongly. Writing it down will help to center it in your heart. There are also times that a particular passage may bring up questions. Having a notebook down not only helps you to record the questions, but also pray for the answers.

You will also need pens, pencils, and highlighters. All you really need is one – a pen or a pencil – to write notes or underline a verse that resonates with you. But as we begin to dig deeper into God’s Word, we may want to be able to find things quickly. By using highlighters and colored pens, it’s easier to flip through to find what you are looking for. 

Blanket or Throw – There is a literal and figurative reason for keeping a blanket or throw handy. Literally, it helps to ward off the chill during the colder months of winter. Figuratively, a blanket may act as a reminder of how God wraps us in his arms and covers us with His feathers when we feel alone, scared, discouraged, and just plain tired. (Ps. 91:4)

Gratitude Journal – There are certain things that cause us to leap with joy. Yet, there are other things we wish never happened or would just quietly go away. It is both of these things that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:11-13. We are told to be content (and even offer thanks) no matter what our circumstances. Keeping a Gratitude Journal not only helps us keep track of the joyful blessings, but also enhances the idea that even difficult situations can be a blessing as well.

Prayer Journal – How many times have you told someone you will keep them in your prayers, and then you get busy and forget? I confess – it happens to me too frequently for comfort. Telling someone you will pray for them is the same thing as a promise. To keep from breaking this promise, keep a prayer journal.  

Study Guides/Devotions/Research – This may also include a Concordance, and possibly a book or books devoted to the subject you are working on. 

You may think that having so many supplies at hand is a bit of overkill. If so, think of it this way: If you truly want to learn more about God and how to apply your faith, then you need the proper tools to do it. 

Our simple life may become busy, but that shouldn’t stop us from having our daily time with God. With a little ingenuity, a bit of time to set it up, and an alternate place to escape when there are just too many people in the house wanting your attention, there is always somewhere you can slip away to offer up a little prayer and have some time with God. It’s called your inner room – and it may end up being your favorite place to go. 

If you want to learn more about the topic at hand just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, you can support the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.