From the moment we arise to the time we go to bed, we are on a race for time. Busyness fills every waking moment leaving no time for rest or relaxation. Even bedtime offers no respite as many Christians toss and turn throughout the night worrying about future events or unfavorable circumstances. In all the chaos and activities, we may be able to squeeze in an occasional Bible study or church service but have very little time for private and intimate devotion to God. Little do we know that our hectic lifestyles are not only affecting our spiritual life, but our mental and emotional well-being also. As Christians, we must weave into our day times of silence and solitude if we want to receive the spiritual guidance and discernment that is necessary to tune into the Holy Spirit and to live in the love, purpose, and obedience of God.
According to one preacher, life is like a domino effect. Generally, we begin our day will determine how our day will end. If we will start the day with meditation, the word of God, and prayer, we create a space for the Lord’s guidance, wisdom, and blessing. On the other hand, we when begin our day rushing, frustrated, or worried, we will tend to carry these emotions through our day. If Jesus is Lord of our life and we want to live a life surrendered to Him, it is imperative that we give time to daily devotions that include spiritual reading, meditating on the Word, and spending time waiting in God’s presence. What is the importance of daily devotions in the life of every believer?
Opens The Door of Communication
The essence of Christian life is about personal relationship with the Lord. This bond will be nurtured through an open and constant communication initiated by God and ourselves. It is often said that prayer is when we talk to God; however, it is through meditation that God speaks to us. Prayer is more than just asking God to meet our needs, it also requires listening. Yet listening requires times of silence and solitude. We are more likely to hear God speak to us when our mind is free from distractions. God tells us that we will seek him and find him when we seek him with all our heart.
Deepens Our Relationship
Many Christians have a thriving church relationship and even great fellowship with other believers, yet their relationship with God is shallow and lacking. Although church attendance is wonderful for corporate worship and learning the scriptures, it can’t substitute time spent with God apart from others. It is during silence, solitude and meditating on God’s word that we open the door to a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. It may be difficult to trust God if he is unfamiliar to you. Therefore we should instigate daily meeting with Him. Habitual meeting will definitely build a closer relationship.
It Makes Us Christ-like.
The scriptures tell us that we become what we meditate on. If most of our attention is on sports, the Atlanta Housewives, or 48-hours crime show and very little time is spent on God and his word, we can easily become preoccupied with worldly cares at the expense of our walk with Christ. The Bible says that “faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God.” If worry, fear, or doubt are plaguing your mind, it may indicate the need to spend more time with God through daily devotions and less time on activities that drain your spirit.
Increases Your Joy
The scriptures say that in God’s presence is fully of joy. Any time we spend with God is never wasted. Through Christian meditation we learn to quiet our minds from fear, worry, negativity, and unnecessary distractions. Because our thoughts are linked to our emotions, toxic moods often follow toxic thoughts. In addition, our thoughts can be so jumbled that we don’t recognize them or there effects on our emotions. By observing our thoughts and bringing them under the obedience of Christ, we can learn to maintain peace of mind and joy. Daily devotions allow time to get still before the Lord so we can observe and eliminate faithless mindsets and cast every care on the Lord.
