The 10 minute shift

There’s something almost intimidating about people in the Bible. Especially someone like Daniel. This man prayed consistently, stood firm under pressure, survived lions, interpreted dreams, and somehow still maintained peace in the middle of chaos. Meanwhile, I open Instagram for “two minutes” and suddenly I’m deep into reels I never planned to watch. Sometimes I look at people in the Bible and think, surely life was easier back then. But maybe it wasn’t easier at all. Maybe Daniel simply understood something many of us are still trying to learn: time with God shapes everything else.

This week, I decided to test that idea for myself. Nothing dramatic. No 4am prayer sessions. No seven-day fast in the wilderness. Just a simple commitment to read my physical Bible three times a day for ten minutes. Honestly, it sounds almost laughably small when I say it out loud. Ten minutes? That’s all? But maybe that’s the issue with us sometimes - we overlook the small disciplines because we are waiting for massive spiritual moments. We want peace without pause, growth without consistency, and transformation without routine.

The truth is, I realised I had become really good at consuming Christian content without actually sitting with God Himself. Sermons, podcasts, worship playlists, inspirational TikToks - all good things - but none of them replace opening the Word for yourself. Day 1 of this little “Daniel challenge” has already shifted something in me. Not in a dramatic, lightning-from-heaven kind of way, but in a quiet and steady way. My mood felt lighter. My thoughts slowed down. I reacted differently throughout the day. Even the atmosphere around me felt calmer. And it made me wonder how much of our exhaustion comes from spiritual dehydration.

We live in a world where we check our phones before we check our hearts. We consume everybody else’s opinions before making space to hear God’s voice. We scroll endlessly, yet still feel empty. Maybe the issue is not that God has stopped speaking - maybe we’ve just stopped being still long enough to listen. That thought challenged me deeply because ten minutes really isn’t a long time. Most of us spend longer deciding what to watch on Netflix. Yet there is something powerful about intentionally pausing your day to reconnect with God in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

I think that’s why Daniel remained grounded despite everything happening around him. Prayer was not something he squeezed into his life when it was convenient; it was the thing that anchored him when life became difficult. And if I’m honest, this blog is not me pretending I suddenly have everything figured out spiritually. It’s literally Day 1. I still get distracted. I still overthink. I still pick up my phone too quickly. But I think God honours willingness. Sometimes growth begins with a simple decision to make room for Him again.

So maybe that’s the challenge for all of us. Not to become perfect overnight. Not to suddenly become the person who understands every scripture and wakes up effortlessly for devotion every morning. Just to start. Ten intentional minutes. One chapter. One pause in the middle of a busy day. Because peace is not something we magically find one day - it is something built through consistency with God. And maybe Daniel was not extraordinary because he was perfect. Maybe he was extraordinary because he kept choosing God daily, even when it was repetitive, inconvenient, or unnoticed.

So here I am: Day 1 of 7. Just me, my physical Bible, and a genuine desire to reconnect with God again. And honestly? I can already feel the difference.

Try your own 10 minute shift and let me know in the comments what a difference it has made.

Merci

Zola xx