C.S Lewis once said “no great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice”.
You’ve probably heard it time and time again that so much of our physical health depends on the choices we make in the kitchen. For those of you who don’t know, I’m also studying a Bachelor of Food and Nutrition and my philosophy around food is definitely, listen to your body as it intuitively tells you what you really want. So eat EVERYTHING in moderation because all foods can fit into your dietary requirements.
Now, some people take that approach to mean they can eat donuts everyday, and I mean if that is your thing – great! However, once clients start to really understand what this means, they learn to tune in to what their body wants, and it usually results in them wanting fresh fruit and veg, and treats a lot less often than they anticipated.
There’s a wisdom that comes from learning how to nourish our bodies the right way the more we practice it. Yet at times it can take a lot of discipline and sacrifice, and the same can be said about our spiritual health.
The condition of our spiritual health depends on the time we spend with God, in His Word and how much time we spend meditating on Him and His Word. In other words, it is dependent on daily devotion with Him. Sometimes it comes with a bit of a sacrifice, not having that sleep-in we really want, or jumping out of bed at maybe 3AM when God asks us to.
By definition devotion is a “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause”.
Do you feel this way about Jesus?
By setting aside time daily, reading the Bible and learning all about the life of Jesus and the character of God, and actively focus on Him, you are spending time in devotion to Him.
Practically speaking, devotions usually involve reading from the Bible, as well as time of prayer. The sole purpose of doing daily devotions is to grow in our relationship with God and know Him more.
So why should you set aside devotional time everyday?
While there are so many reasons why, three that have impacted me personally are:
1. Devotions set your heart right with God
A successful relationship, whether that be with God, or someone else is only successful because of clear and purposeful communication. A relationship with God isn’t a one-way street. There’s a conversation that God wants to have with you, but to hear His voice our hearts need to be prepared and open. By setting time aside each day to be intentional in our pursuit of Him, our hearts become realigned with Him and His purpose for our lives. God wants us to pursue Him, and when we do He is able to set our heart right and show us things that we may not have even known were there.
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
2. Devotions will help you slow down, pause and reflect
Psalm 46:10
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
How can we be still in God’s presence if we don’t take the time to slow down and intentionally set time aside to be with Him? By having daily devotional time, you’re creating a discipline within yourself of being still. You’re allowing yourself to just sit and wait on God to meet you right where you are at. Too often, we can find it so hard to just pause, we’re constantly looking at our phones, thinking about our to-do lists and hoping we accomplish everything that we have planned for the day. If you step into your devotional time like this, it’s likely that you won’t get much out of it. How can God meet you when your focus is on other things and not Him. Remember, our God is a jealous God. Worship belongs to Him, not to your career, your social media or your to-do list. He wants you all to Himself so he can just pour out His love on you. Learning to be still takes practice and discipline. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.
3. Devotions will highlight areas in your life that need correction and help you grow
Only God knows the intentions of our heart, often before we do and this time allows Him to bring to the surface anything that we need to heal from and work through. By asking God to examine our heart, it will reveal that we are in desperate need of His help in every area of our life, daily. Throughout the Psalms we see David constantly asking God to search his heart, and examine it. He knew he was in desperate need of a Saviour. By keeping things real with God, it allowed Him to move in David’s life even though he made mistakes. So be encouraged that God is still working amid your mistakes.
Psalm 26:2
“Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.”
I can’t encourage you enough to spend time each day set aside for God.
If you’re new to devotions a great place to begin is in Psalms or Proverbs. Alternatively, you can sign up to The Collective, and each month you’ll receive a Bible Reading Plan as part of my Bundle of Grace monthly freebie.
However you decide to do your devotions, the most important thing is getting started. God will speak to your heart if you’re open to hearing Him and what He has to say to you through His Word.
Have a beautifully blessed week,
