By Nick Brzozowski
For the longest time, I assumed there was only one right way to have your time with God (sometimes called, devotions or quiet time). 60 minutes a day, evenly divided between prayer and Bible reading (with prayer being evenly divided between particular praises, requests broken by category, and waiting). But, over the last couple of years, I have found unbelievable joy and meaning switching this up based on what seems to help me connect with God.
If you are at all interested in growing spiritually, experiencing God in your life, or better following Jesus, a spiritually-charged morning routine might just be the most effective way to see results in your life. But, several practices can do it. If Jesus is a friend, wouldn’t you think there are several ways to connect and bond?
The following is a list of spiritual practices I have tried, seen, or heard of that seem interesting and you might find fun and meaningful!
#1 Listen to a podcast.
Podcasts have played a huge role in helping me meet with God and foster my love for the Bible!
Here are a few I’d recommend
Holy Post (Christian News)
#2 Go for a walk.
Take 10 min and invite Jesus with you on your walk. Walking helps me break out of certain thinking. It can also help me express myself differently to God than when I am sitting.
#3 Take deep breaths.
Especially, if this is paired with a reflection of joyful memories, things you are grateful for, or Biblical ideas, this can be a powerful way to ingest positivity and truth.
#4 Take a course.
Could it be that your Bible reading is getting boring because you don’t know what you are reading? Maybe it's because you don’t realize how much is there to be uncovered. Lately, I have been working through several free courses on Bible Project. I have a Master's in Divinity and these courses help me to learn new things all the time. They always leave me with new insights and a feeling of accomplishment too (who doesn't love getting a certificate for finishing something?!).
#5 Try free-flowing journaling.
Some people are experts at journaling. They are super organized, cataloging what God is speaking to them or recording prayer requests and how they are being answered. But, for me, my favorite kind of journaling is taking 20 minutes to write without judgment. I usually start with a prompt like: what am I anxious about, what do I want in the next few years, or how can I be more effective? And then I try to write without stopping too much. It is amazing how this breaks me out of being stuck and gives me peace.
#6 Sing it out.
I’m not the best singer, but when there is a good song on, I love blasting it out in the car! Need some ideas to get you started? Here's my personal playlist!😊
#7 Read a book.
Following Jesus is meant to be done in the community. There’s nothing wrong with using your devotional time to read a Christian Living or Theology book. For me, I’m a lot more drawn to theology books. Christian living books tend to feel a bit redundant. Although I have liked some Andy Stanley ones. This year, I picked one particular theologian to study and I have really enjoyed reading a lot from NT Wright.
#8 Do the dishes.
Why can’t you experience God while doing chores? In particular, there is something about unloading the dishwasher that is therapeutic and satisfying I like to “practice the presence” of God while doing so. It is also one way to serve my wife, Hannah, which seems to be a good thing to connect me with God.
#9 Study Greek.
I learned Greek back in seminary and have forgotten a lot. But, I am now relearning it as a part of my devotional time. Learning a language feels like a good practice for my brain. But, it also helps me engage the Bible more richly. Of course, this will take a long time before you have any level of proficiency, but I believe anyone can start at any time. There are amazing resources online, like this one.
#10 Text someone.
Asking someone how I can pray for them is a super easy way to show love and…pray! Not everyone gets back to me, but I am usually surprised how often people have some really specific things in mind and how grateful they are for me reaching out.
#11 Listen to the Bible.
At the start of the year, Hannah decided that she was going to listen to the entire Bible this year. And she is on her way. Right when the alarm goes off, she turns it on and listens as she’s waking up. What a genius way to accomplish a big goal! And what a great replacement for morning scrolling! 👀
#12 Daily Affirmations
Full disclosure: I haven’t done these in a while. But, I did manage to do them for about a couple of years. I think they played a big role in my gaining confidence and hope in life! You can check out my other blog on how to create these here.
#13 Pray the Bible.
Sometimes, when I am stuck, I will just say The Lord’s Prayer to myself. Or I will Google “prayers in the Bible” and pray them.
#14 Color and doodle in your Bible.
The Psalms are so rich in imagery and meaning, that doodling and coloring tend to help me slow down and take it in. Earlier this year, I doodled key ideas from the Psalm that I read that morning. Now, I’m working through and color-coding different repeated words and ideas to get a better understanding of the literary design of the psalm.
#15 Memorize the Bible.
I used to do this a ton. This was another one that helped me feel more accomplished. 😝 I would use an app and memorize chapters of the Bible. Even though I haven’t done this in a while, I can still recall the main ideas of Philippians, Ephesians, 1 Peter, and the Sermon on the Mount. Sometimes, a good challenge can make your routine more interesting!
What about you? What are your favorite ways to spend time with God? I'd love it if you could share your ideas below in the comments!
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