It’s Friday, my friends! We’re actually looking forward to a long weekend since my husband’s off work on Monday. That equals more time for house projects to get done 😉
There’s likely been a time in our Christian lives when we set a goal or expressed a desire to be consistent in reading our Bible or in our prayer life. Maybe it was at the start of a new year or season or perhaps we were challenged by a pastor to develop those spiritual practices.
It can be easy to begin those habits, but sometimes hard to maintain them. Let’s look at five tips that can help us be consistent when it comes to spending time in God’s Word and in prayer.
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1. Use a devotional book or reading plan.
There could be times when you just want to sit down with your Bible and choose a place to start reading. But I find that it’s most helpful to have a plan of some sort.
That could be a devotional book. I’m currently working through Betty Henderson’s book Selah – Studying God’s Songbook which is a study in Psalms. Alternatively, you could use a reading plan like Annie F. Down’s Read the Gospels Every Month. Or use your own study, where you’re digging into a specific passage or studying a certain Bible character. Knowing what you’re going to be doing before you start can help you follow through.
2. Track it on an app or with some other method.
A lot of people use habit trackers. It could be an app or just a piece of paper or a chart you create to check off each day that you read your Bible and/or spend time in prayer. I would call this inner accountability and it’s a good motivator for some personality types.
3. Have a set time and place.
I had to choose my place when we moved into our new house. I keep the basket with my Bible and my journal nearby. And for me, it has to happen first thing in the morning. Otherwise, my day gets started and I’m highly unlikely to go back to it.
4. Find an accountability partner.
Maybe tracking progress by yourself isn’t enough. You might need outer accountability. Ask your spouse, an older child, or a friend to check in with you once a week and ask if you’re keeping up with your Bible reading.
5. Tie it to a habit you already have.
James Clear talks about this strategy in his book Atomic Habits (which I highly recommend). Here’s an example. Last year one of my daughters told me that she wasn’t going to check Instagram in the morning until she’d had her devotions. Checking Instagram was something she already did every morning. Not allowing herself to do that until she read her Bible would help her establish the habit.
Maybe you have a cup of coffee every morning. Could you have your devotions while you drink your coffee? Think about something you do each day and figure out how to connect your Bible reading and/or prayer time to that activity.
Why do we even care to be consistent with these practices? Becase we know that spending time in God’s Word and in prayer will help us to grow in our faith and become more like Christ.
What helps you stay consistent in these areas? Let us know!
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I have to read my Bible first thing in the morning, too, or it won’t happen. If I run in the morning, I do it while I cool off; if I don’t, I do it first thing after my shower. The times I forget, I usually don’t get back to it later in the day. 🙁
Same – even when I tell myself I’ll fit it in at such-and-such time later in the day, it never seems to happen.
#5 is soooooo effective!!! It ties into #3 for me, too: I always listen to a Bible study every morning while I’m getting up & getting ready to walk. B/c it’s mindless prep, I can really listen to the message, and I *NEVER* skip walking. I also have two different devotionals I do every day on my phone at different points – I have them purposely set up to hit at different times, so I’m in the word more often throughout the day.
I like that you have the devotionals come up at different points in your day. I can see how that would bring your focus back to God’s Word if you’ve gotten caught up in other things as the day went on. Great idea!!