Once a month, I write a column called “Creating Home.” This is for the young woman setting up her first home, whether it’s her dorm room or sharing an apartment with a friend. In this post I’ll be sharing tips for establishing a devotional life. If you already have established practices that work for you, please share this with someone younger. I also hope you’ll share your experience by posting a comment at the end.
When I set up my first apartment, I was most concerned with the practical side of homemaking. I needed a bed, dresser, couch and lamps. My kitchen needed some basic cooking and food prep items. My refrigerator had condiments and iced tea (I wasn’t much of a cook back then.). I made sure I had the basics. What I didn’t think much about then was establishing a devotional life.
Like most young women away from home for the first time, I found freedom intoxicating. I loved that I could set my own rules without parental input. And although I had been a strong Christian before college, during those first few years on my own, God definitely took a back seat. I never rejected God, but I just lived as if He weren’t a part of my life.
Practices that had been habits slipped away. It was hard to find a church I could attend with my work schedule, so I stopped going. I used to read the Bible, but that stopped with all the other reading I had to do. Praying was reduced to quick prayers, if any.
In the midst of establishing practical routines for my independence, I neglected to incorporate spiritual routines into my day.
What I have learned over time is the important of little habits to maintaining a strong faith. In this post, I’ll share a few lessons and insights that have helped me develop a devotional life. I have a long way to go, and I’m still working to strengthen this in my own life. I hope I’ll be working on this as long as I’m alive.
1) Read the Bible every day. The key here is to do it daily, or almost every day. Decide on an amount of time that works for YOU. It might be that you read one chapter a day. Or you might not even get that far. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, or set unrealistic standards.
For years I tried to read through the Bible in a year. And every year I quit in March. I was too far behind and discouraged. I felt like a failure. Then one year I decided to just keep reading. I put myself on the two-year plan, then the three-year plan. I realized what mattered most was that I didn’t stop.
2) Try different Bibles. While I use the New International Version of the Bible for my everyday reading, I love to go on www.Biblegateway.com and look at verses in different versions. I’ve discovered that versions like the New Living Translation or The Message can add interesting nuances to passages. I realize there are faith groups who have strong opinions about specific versions of the Bible, so I’m not recommending any version. Simply suggesting you try a different one than you normally use.
3) Sign up for a daily devotion. Daily devotions are a great way to get a personal application to Scripture. The bookstores have numerous options, but you can also get them online.
I’m a devotion writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries and we offer a free devotion Monday through Friday sent to you via email. You can sign up for these devotions written by women for women by visiting Proverbs 31. We are working to make our devotions available in an iPhone app, but until then, Standard Publishing offers a free one. Visit iTunes and search for “365 Devotions.”
4) Discover a prayer time that fits into your life. While most people will tell you it’s best to pray in the morning, I’m going to advise you to pray according to your personal schedule. What time of the day are you at your best? Is it morning, afternoon or late night? When do you have some quiet time? Instead of not praying at all, pick a time that works best for you, and try that for awhile. If it doesn’t work, try something else.
I’ve discovered that there is no one-size-fits-all devotional life. It takes trial and error. And it takes a heart that longs to grow closer to Christ. If that’s you, then keep pressing on. I believe God delights in your desire.
I appreciated you saying that you can do prayer whenever works best for you! When I was in the lower half of my 20′s, my devo time and prayer time was ALWAYS at night. I felt like an odd ball since everyone was always declaring that morning was the #1 most important time.
Now I’m almost 30 and I’ve become much more of a morning person, but trying to shoehorn myself into a morning routine back then would have been detrimental to my relationship with God! It’s important to be who you ARE, not who you think you should be.