Saturday, 21 November 2009

• How to Have the Spiritual Life of a Saint: Devotions

  By Justin at BeDeviant
  

  Call it what you want, but a “quiet time” (a.k.a. QT, devotions, devotionals, devos, God time, date with Jesus [editor's note: *shudder*], etc.) has been a staple of the evangelical diet for decades. And for good reason.

  The primary purpose of this time is to get with God and let him speak to you–through his Word, through prayer, through other literature, through music, etc. Although this practice can quickly lead into a “checklist” activity (i.e. “I must have my quiet time with God or he won’t love me anymore!” We snicker, but I knew kids in college who truly believed this. And it showed. Striving much?), it is profoundly helpful in hearing God’s voice in your life.

  So how do we do it? What does a quiet time even look like? If you’ve been wondering how, or if you want to start, here’s a quick and easy guide to get your devotional wheels turning:
  

  1. Find a consistent time. I find mornings work best, but maybe you’re a night owl. Pick a time and own it.
     
  2. Find a consistent place. After time, you’ll develop a “holy place” that you’ll look forward to going to day after day.
  3. Have a reading plan. The “flip and stick” method of Bible reading rarely works long-term. Plan to read a chapter a day. Or read through the Gospels three times. Wade through Genesis on your own pace or find a reading plan to take you through the Bible in a year. Find something that works for you.
  4. Use a devotional book as needed. One such book I use on a consistent basis is A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants. It is small, but it will launch your life with God into the stratosphere.
  5. Most of all, listen. Spend intentional, set-apart time to listen for God’s voice. After all, that’s the whole point of spending time with him: to hear his voice.

  As you do this, you’ll begin to discern what his voice sounds like for you. Life’s problems won’t magically go away, but you will find yourself deeply rooted and grounded in his reality, not your own. If it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that God’s reality is way better than my own.

  Do these things and you’re well on your way to having the spiritual life of a saint!

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