Devotion

Many of us find it hard to keep persevering at reading the Bible and praying. Here’s a bunch of things you can try to improve your devotional life.

Plan to read

The urgent is the enemy of the important, and there will always be things which feel more urgent that reading (or listening) to the Bible. So make a plan. Decide when you’ll read and where you’ll read. Find a way to remove distractions. Be realistic, and don’t worry if you miss a day or two. Or three. But keep persevering. It takes about 66 days to really form a new habit, so keep at it!

Follow a reading plan

Having a guide or a plan can be a wonderful support in getting us reading the Bible. At Trinity we are currently using this reading plan, which roughly lines up with the passages we’re looking at on Sundays and in Fellowship Groups. Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s reading plan has been a blessing to devout Christians since the mid 1800’s. Some may prefer a Bible Reading plan for Shirkers & Slackers. Some may want match a plan with their reading intensity. Or your Bible may have already come with a reading plan.

Reading with someone else

If you can, reading with someone else has the benefit of keeping you (and them) accountable. And, you know, of being sociable. You can just arrange to meet regularly, read through a passage of the bible (preferably not the same one every time), and talk about what it means. For a bit more structure, The Word one-to-one is a great resource, providing guided reads through John’s Gospel and the book of Acts, both in book form or as a free app.

Structure your prayers

We all struggle at times with prayer, and have times where we may need to relearn how to pray. At its simplest, prayer involves expressing gratitude, asking for forgiveness, and asking for God’s blessing. It might be as creative as a prayer diary, maybe with an App (for example, check out Prayer Mate). It might pick up prayers written by others, like Charles Spurgeon, or even those of Jesus.

This is a prayer which we prayed when we were reading through Ephesians together.

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, glorious Father, may you give each of us at Trinity, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know you better.

We pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so that we may know the hope to which you have called us. May we know how much you treasure your holy people as the riches of your glorious inheritance. And may we grasp more of your incomparably great power for us who believe, that same power which you exerted when you raised Christ from the dead and seated him at your right hand. We praise you that Jesus is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name. Give us joy as we remember that you placed all things under Jesus’ feet and appointed him to be head over everything for our sake as your church, Jesus’ body.

Lord, may these truths grip and thrill us so that Trinity might be full of thanks and joy, being eager to live for you all our days.

In Jesus’ name, Amen