If you grew up in church, you probably had a youth pastor with frosted tips tell you that “real Christians” start their day with an open Bible, a steaming cup of black coffee (extra points if it was in a “Jesus & Java” mug) and a sunrise Instagram filter. Morning devotions, they said, were the only way to truly seek the Lord. Because, apparently, God logs off after breakfast.
But let’s be real. Not everyone wakes up at 5 a.m. with a perky attitude and a deep hunger for Leviticus. Some of us hit snooze like it’s a spiritual gift. Some of us don’t even become functional humans until well after noon. So where did we get this idea that the holiest time to seek God is before the sun even decides to show up? And does the Bible actually back this up, or have we just been blindly accepting another round of bad youth group theology?
The “Holy Hour” Myth
There’s this idea floating around Christian circles that morning devotions are more spiritual than any other time of day. Maybe it’s because of verses like Mark 1:35, which says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Jesus woke up early, so you should, too.
But here’s the thing: this is a description, not a prescription. It tells us what Jesus did, not what we must do. If you flip through the Gospels, you’ll also see Jesus praying at night (Luke 6:12), midday (John 4:6) and, let’s not forget, literally in the middle of a storm when everyone else was panicking (Matthew 8:23-26). Jesus didn’t set a calendar reminder for prayer time—He sought the Father when He needed to.
So if you’re wired for late nights, why force yourself into a spiritual routine that leaves you groggy, frustrated and less likely to actually engage with God? Your morning-person friends may thrive on sunrise scripture readings, but if your best thinking happens at 2 a.m. with a bag of Doritos and Lofi beats in the background, there’s no biblical reason to fight it.
In fact, plenty of major biblical moments happened at night. Jacob wrestled with God in the dead of night (Genesis 32:22-28). Paul and Silas were up at midnight singing worship songs in prison (Acts 16:25). God spoke to Samuel while he was trying to sleep (1 Samuel 3:1-10). The Israelites even started their escape from Egypt in the middle of the night (Exodus 12:29-31).
And let’s not forget Jesus Himself. The whole “Last Supper” situation? That was at night. Gethsemane? Also at night. His resurrection? Technically, it was before dawn, but let’s not get caught up in technicalities. The point is, God does not exclusively operate on a morning schedule.
The Real Issue: Intentionality Over Timing
The problem isn’t when you spend time with God—it’s if you spend time with God. A half-hearted, distracted Bible reading at 6 a.m. because you feel like you should is far less meaningful than an engaged, undistracted prayer session at 10 p.m. If you’re only doing morning devotions because some pastor once guilt-tripped you into thinking it was the only way, then congratulations, you’ve fallen for Christian peer pressure.
Psalm 1:2 says the righteous person meditates on God’s Word “day and night.” Psalm 119:55 literally says, “In the night, Lord, I remember your name.” Proverbs 8:17? “Those who seek Me find Me.” Notice the distinct lack of alarm clocks in those verses?
The bigger issue isn’t whether you pray before breakfast or after midnight snacks—it’s whether you’re setting aside time at all. God isn’t impressed by your time stamp. He’s interested in your heart.
If you’ve always felt guilty for not being a morning person, here’s your official permission slip to embrace your nocturnal spirituality. But before you turn your “quiet time” into an all-night TikTok scrolling session with a Bible app open in another tab, here are some ways to actually make it work:
- Choose a Time That Works for You – If 11 p.m. is when you finally feel alert and reflective, make that your regular devotional time. Be consistent.
- Create a Vibe – Light a candle, play some instrumental worship, grab a journal—set the scene for meaningful engagement. Bonus points if you avoid fluorescent lighting.
- Pray Like You Mean It – It’s easy to rush through a prayer just to check the box. Instead, slow down. Talk to God like He’s actually listening (because He is).
- Read With Intention – Don’t just skim a chapter to say you did it. Ask questions. Write notes. Engage with the text.
- Ditch the Guilt – Just because your small group leader swears by 5 a.m. worship doesn’t mean it’s for you. Your walk with God isn’t graded on an early bird discount.
If morning devotions fuel your soul, great. Keep doing them. But if your best, most focused time with God happens after everyone else is asleep, stop feeling guilty about it. The same God who met Paul in a jail cell at midnight and whispered to Samuel in the dark is more than capable of showing up in your messy, caffeine-fueled late-night prayer sessions.
So whether it’s dawn, noon or the ungodly hour of 2 a.m., rest easy knowing this: God isn’t checking your alarm clock—He’s checking your heart.
Now go forth and seek the Lord… whenever you’re actually awake enough to pay attention.
