5 Ways to Diversify Your Devotional Life

    A few years ago, I picked up a small, blush devotional book that was packed full of wisdom, antidotes, and scriptures. I opened it up and began reading the short inspirational writing of the day. But soon, annoyance crept in and I closed the book. This was not even close to what I needed to hear today and I don't feel connected with my Creator. I don’t feel editfied, encouraged, or filled with joy. 

        It all seemed a bit lackluster. Is this relationship with God supposed to be this way? Everyday I pick up the Bible, pray, and then go on with my day. I know there is so much good in doing this, but honestly, I get stuck in a rut. Am I lacking discipline? Is it fickle of me to want to switch things up?

            My answer: No, it is not. In fact, it might be just what I need to begin seeing God in a more glorious light. God created us for relationships and they take work, time, and creativity. In order to get to know another person, you may start by getting coffee with them, but eventually, you are going to start doing other things in order to deepen your relationship. You need to experience life with them, to be with them when the pain occurs, to work together to overcome obstacles. You will need to step out of the coffee shop and start going on hikes, helping them move into their new place, or start throwing parties together! 

I believe God wants the same thing with us. We don't have to sit in the same place and do the same thing everyday. This relationship with God is dynamic. He wants us to experience His good Creation with Him. He wants us to use our gifts to commune with Him. But mostly, He just wants to spend time with us. 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we forget to read our Bible and neglect to pray. On the contrary, I’m asking us to expand our way of experiencing how we read the Bible and pray. This is about getting closer to God and fighting back the temptation to glaze over your daily devotions. That doesn't mean you won’t have stagnate days, but it allows you to respond in the moment and to feed your spirit accordingly. I hope you find the following list of ideas helpful in doing just that.

 

    Art 

    Art is one of my favorite ways to meditate on scripture, express my gratefulness towards God, and realign my focus on Who God is and who he made me to be. There are a multiple ways to use this medium. I have listed a few examples below:

• Scripture Art: 

1. Pick a scripture that you love or that speaks the truth you are needing in the moment. 

2. Get any size of paper, a pencil to sketch, and coloring supplies to bring it to life. 

3. Plan. Usually when I use this medium I don’t have a plan for where the words will go, but if you are more of a planner think about the most important words in the scripture that you want to stick out. (Important words are usually actions or concept words) Take these words and make them the largest words on the paper. Then, fit the other words in and around the big words. 

4. Be Creative! Depending on the look I'm going for, I will make some words cursive, some bubble, and some print. After the scripture is written out, I add designs that fill in any empty space or that adds to the flow or message of the scripture. 

5. Then I add color. 

6. Follow the link to see an example of Scripture Art: https://youtu.be/QJ3yMgWUt7w

• Calligraphy: I haven’t tried this medium, but I know others who have and they really enjoy it. You just pick a scripture use your creativity and calligraphy skills and write out the verse. You can also use calligraphy in your scripture art.

• Coloring: This one requires you to buy a scripture coloring book. My sister-in-law gave me one that covers the Pslams. It’s nice to sit and read the scripture and meditate on it. I can color in the words and add side thoughts and praises next to it. Follow the link to the coloring book I have:

  
  

Get a Bible study book

    In my search for a more in-depth study, I looked for devotionals that took a step above the average devotional. While looking, I found the following books:

• I Am Second

• 40 Days of Prayer

• 40 Methods for Studying the Bible

You can also find specific study books (like a study on romans) online or at Mardels. Here are some suggestions. 

Meditate 

Meditation has become quite popular as of late. It’s important to know that the idea of meditation exists on a spectrum. For the purpose of this post, I will define medication simply as the act of slowing down, focusing on scripture, and asking God how to apply it to your life. You can do this yourself or use a medication app such as Abide or Soul Space. I myself have just recently made this a regular practice in my devotional life and it has some great benefits. 

- One is the power of application. Sometimes we read a scripture and rush through it. Or we don't think about what is really being communicated and how it connects to our life. Mediation gives us the time and focus to do so. 

- Another benefit is the power of listening. I’m not sure about you, but I tend to talk a lot while praying and I often forget to listen. Meditation gives you a specific space and time to just listen and practice sitting in silence. Not sure how to meditate without an app? Follow this link to a quick step by step process to help you get started:

Worship 

    I love to use worship during my time with God. It is especially helpful when I'm in an emotional or spiritual funk. I usually use praise songs (as opposed to worship songs that are more about God’s relationship to us) because reminding yourself of the magnitude of Who God is will refocus your eyes upon Him. The church I go to recently had a worship night and they started with praise songs, went into worship songs, and then ended with a blessing song. This gives the experience a complete feel by forcing us to acknowledge Who He is, what that means to us, and what that looks like as we go out and live our lives. 

Exercise 

    Confession: I’m not so great at this one, but I know there are people out there that love this medium. (Note: Being intentional is key. For example, putting on worship music while you workout is great, but make sure you are able to focus on the music mentally as opposed to how many squats you have completed.) Here are some ways you can incorporate exercise into your devotional life:

• Worship music: Listen to worship music while you workout.

• Scripture with yoga: Join a Christian yoga studio or watch Christian yoga on YouTube. You can also plan your yoga sequence ahead of time, pick a verse, and reread it (or speak it) as you move to each new position. 

• Audio Bible: Use the Bible App to listen to someone read the Bible or find a dramatized version to listen to.

• Memorizing scripture: Pick a passage to recite to yourself as you work out. A tried and true way to memorize scripture is to start with one verse and add on, repeating the following verses each time. 

  
  

I hope you found this helpful! Let me know in the comments which of these things you have tried and tell me what you have done in your devotional life.