HOW TO HAVE A DEVOTIONAL TIME
Many of us hunger for the presence of God in our lives.
We would like to know that he is aware of us as individuals
and that he cares about the things that are going on in our lives.
We would like to hear or feel something that would
reassure us of his presence with us.
For thousands of years, Christians have found direction, wholeness, peace
and empowerment by simply making time to meet with God.
In the church, we often speak of this as
having a ‘quiet time’ or ‘doing our devotions’.
Having a devotional time is not complicated if you…
A. SET A TIME
Make an appointment time for your meeting with God rather than
trying to fit him into a busy day.
B. FIND A PLACE
God is willing to meet us anywhere, but having a consistent place to
do our devotions serves as a reminder of our appointment and
strengthens the development of a quiet time as a habit. It also gives
us a place to put important tools such as our bible, a notebook, a
candle, etc.
C. FOLLOW A PLAN
Having a pattern to follow helps us to have a deeper experience of our
meeting with God and keeps us from missing out on the many ways
he wants to connect with us.
Following is a simple plan that will help you
have such devotional time:
1. INVITE –make yourself available to God through prayer or song or a time of
silence
2. CONFESS – if there are any known sins or possible barriers to your
relationship with God, confess those things and ask God to give you “clean
hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:4). If you are unsure how to pray, use
Psalm 51 as a starting point.
3. READ A PASSAGE FROM THE BIBLE
One of the primary ways God speaks to us is through his Word so it is always
helpful to spend time listening for what God wants to say to us through that
Word. Rather than reading random sections, have a plan for your reading. Do
this by following a Bible reading guide such as the one on the back of our
church bulletin, using a read through the Bible in a year program, reading a
chapter from the Psalms or Proverbs, or reading through a book of the Bible.
4. THINK – Spend some time thinking about what stood out to you in the
passage you read. It may just be a phrase or a word or a concept that is
presented in the passage.
5. APPLY – Ask yourself how what you have just read applies to your life right
now. Perhaps it is something that gives you guidance or challenges you to
change. Maybe there is something you need to confess or turn away from.
Perhaps it is a word of encouragement or hope for a difficult time or
situation. Rather than just read what is before you, take the time to think
about what God is speaking to YOU today through this word.
6. PRAY – Pray about what you have just learned during the application step.
What has been revealed to you through God’s word is what the Holy Spirit
wants to do in your life at this moment. Give the Spirit the opportunity to
bring transformation and life to you by being in agreement with what has
been shown to you.
7. LISTEN – Spend some time in silence. Listen for what God may want to speak
to you at this point. Allow God to meet you in this time and take strength
from being in his presence.