It’s quite common to hear from those Christians who have experienced a spiritual maturity say that daily scripture reading is the number one factor in growing in their relationship with Jesus. While reading God’s word is a beautiful part of your day, how do you know you’re really absorbing those words and learning how to apply them to your life?
Journaling is key.
Writing down the primary messages from the Scripture you read each day and writing down a few key points during your daily devotionals will help you focus and retain the Bible verses you read and it will also force you to grapple with the text in order to find a way that you can use it to live out your Christian walk in a practical way.
Although there is nothing easy about walking with Jesus, scripture makes it clear that simple obedience is good for us.
- Everything starts with a decision. Decide that it’s time for you to take the next step to get to know Jesus better, more intimately. Determine that there is no better time to start than today!
- Once you’ve made the decision, determine what will work best for you in order to stick to it. Whether it’s the first thing in the morning, lunchtime or before you go to bed – find a time that works best for you. Set your alarm on your smartphone to alert you that it’s time, just as you would commit to a client appointment.
- Keeping a prayer journal is a great way to meditate on God’s word, uncover applications for your life and even track how God is moving in your life and in those who you pray for!
Don’t want to do it alone? Buy a journal as a gift for a friend, or for everyone in your Bible Study group and enjoy the journey together!