Thoughts for a Dynamic Devotional Life

Every generation requires true men of God who carry on the work of the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. An entry in the journal of Henry Martyn reads, “Let me be taught that the first great business on earth is the sanctification of my own soul.” George Müller said, “The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord.”

Our Greatest Need

The first realization of ministry must be that we do not have the needed resources apart from a daily, vital relationship with Jesus Christ. David Livingstone wrote, near the end of his life, of his relationship with the Lord:

“He is the greatest master I have ever known. If there is anyone greater, I do not know him.  Jesus Christ is the only master supremely worth serving. He is the only ideal that never loses its inspiration, the only friend whose friendship meets every demand, and the only Savior who can save to the uttermost. We go forth in His name, in His power, and in His Spirit to serve Him.”

Some things never change. The development of and dependence on a personal walk with God is indispensable. The words of Thomas Carlyle in a bygone century still ring true: “What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by hearsay.” I want to be one of those men. The greatest need of our nation is the greatest need of my life: to truly know God. And the only way to know God better is through a consistent devotional life — a time set aside to seek God, study His Word, and pray to Him. But though we realize that this is our greatest need, we sometimes struggle with consistency in this area.

Seasons of Staleness

Has your devotional life become dry? As far as you know, there is no unconfessed sin. You are reading the Bible and going through the mechanics of prayer, but it seems like mere motion. We have all been there!

People often think that preachers must jump out of bed in the morning, always excited about their quiet time with God. Nothing could be further from the truth! We all battle with flesh. Even on our best days, there is a struggle to keep the devotional life fresh.

Permit me to share a few practical suggestions that have been of help to me…

Sometimes it is good to “switch things up.”

All of us can get in a rut — our souls can get so accustomed to the routine of a devotional life that we are missing the point. Take a break from your schedule. Do not feel guilty about it. That does not mean take a break from the Bible and prayer!  Introduce some variety.  Read a good devotional book.  The writings of F.B. Meyer have been a great help to me recently. Meditate on a great hymn. Write out prayers and praises in a journal. Change your pattern, and it will help to keep your soul fresh.

Do not put undue pressure on yourself.

We put expectations on ourselves that even the Lord does not put on us! Years ago, I read a book by James E. Duncan, Jr. entitled Relax and Let God. It helped me to realize that I do not have to perform for Him or work something up. Accept that every day is different. There are moments when God seems to hide His face. According to Scripture, this is so that we will seek Him in faith and fervency. Faith rests in the sufficiency of God.

Major on Jesus.

Far too often, our devotional life becomes so much about learning some new spiritual truth and not enough about the person of Christ. Return to “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Meditating on the cross brings a tender heart. The love of God melts coldness like nothing else will. It is not enough to read longer, pray harder, or try more. Begin saying to the Lord throughout the day, “Jesus, I love you.” That is all. Express your love to Him and think about His love for you.

Keep on.

When the famine comes, do not quit, just keep on. Usually, those times come just before the blessing. God is about to show you something special or take you to a new level in your walk with Him.

This season will pass. Refuse to allow the enemy to convince you that it is not worth the effort. Draw nigh to God, and He promises to draw nigh to you!

The Blessing of Bible Study Tools

Books are wonderful tools. When it comes to the daily quiet time, there are a number of wonderful books that may be used with great benefit. Occasionally, I enjoy reading after an author whose sole purpose in writing is devotional in nature. Oswald Chambers is a wonderful example of this. His highly recommended My Utmost For His Highest is thought-provoking.

Devotional books stir the heart to seek the Lord more fervently and purposefully in prayer. Recently, I ran across a rather new book that has been a great help to me in this way. Though I know little about the writer, Bob Sorge’s Secrets of the Secret Place has served to enhance my daily time with God. Through the years, I have discovered that reading a little in a good biography also helps to warm my heart. The lives of men and women who have walked with God provide instruction and inspiration for our own journey. (You can study through The Inner Life by Andrew Murray in our Bible App Plan HERE.)

3 Books to Use in Your Devotional Time

Good devotional books help to “prime the pump.” However, like any resource, devotional writings can be misused. The test of a devotional book is not the level of enjoyment you have in reading it, but the level of dependence you develop on it. If reading devotional writers begins to take the place of time spent with you and God alone, this is not healthy.

A good counselor points you to the Wonderful Counselor, the Lord Jesus. Good fathers point their children to the Heavenly Father. A good teacher points his students to the Teacher, the Holy Spirit. And a good author points readers to the Author of all truth. Devotional reading must never become a substitute for direct contact with God.

For this reason, I would like to recommend three books that should be used in your devotional time:

The Word of God

There is no book like that Book! I enjoy having a copy of Scripture that is not overly marked up already for my Bible reading. This keeps me from getting distracted by previous notes. Come to God’s Word fresh every day. And come hungry!

A Good Hymnbook

Personal worship is so important. Reading over great hymns and singing them to the Lord in your devotional time will help lead you into His presence. (Many hymn histories are available on our Legacy Archives page HERE). You may want to adopt a hymn each day to sing and hum throughout the day. Recently, in my quiet time, I was meditating on the soon return of Christ. The words of the song, “Is It the Crowning Day?” took on new meaning. Every time I found myself singing, “Jesus could come today! Glad day! Glad day!” the truth came alive in my heart again. “Speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19).

A Journal

Apart from prayer and the Word of God, this has become the most beneficial thing in my own devotional time. This is not a list of everything I have done or intend to do. In my journal, I write prayers to the Lord. I record Bible truths the Lord is teaching me and specific things about which the Holy Spirit is prompting me. A journal will help you now, and it will help you again in the future. (Read more about the discipline of using a journal HERE.) Write down the “handfuls of purpose” the Lord drops for you to find! Gather up “the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”

Jesus said that when we go into the secret place, we are to shut the door. Literally, shut everyone else out! Leave the world and those you love in another place. Go in to meet with God alone. And when you do, take your Bible — to hear His voice, your hymnbook — to sing to Him, and your journal — to record what He says.  Make the most of your devotional time.

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About Scott Pauley

READ: 5 Books to Help with Your Personal Devotions

5 Books To Help With Your Personal Devotions

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