Starting a daily devotional routine has positively impacted the lives of millions. How do we know this? Because since 1998, The Word For You Today daily devotional has published 4,000,000 copies annually in the United States alone. When you look at the numbers from around the world, that jumps to 18,000,000 copies published in more than 20 different languages.
The Word of God not only gives us hope, it gives us direction and purpose as well. This is what we are sharing with people and why we’re encouraging you to have a daily devotional routine. If you’re still unsure as to whether or not you should start a daily devotional routine, here are five reasons why you should.
For Direction
Reading the Word of God helps us to define the direction of our daily lives. Many people opt to do their daily devotional routine in the morning. This helps to set the tone for the day and to put and keep things in perspective. It can drive the rest of your day. We live in a fast-paced world, but as we sit alone in quiet with just the Word of God in front of us, it forces us to slow down and pay attention to what really matters in life. This is a time to ask God what He would like us to do and what His plan is for our lives.
For Connection
Our relationship with God needs to be fostered like every other relationship in our lives. This means we need to dedicate time to Him and continue to strengthen our connection with Him. By starting a daily devotional routine, you’re allotting time to God every day and keeping that relationship strong. This is your time to feel directly connected with Him, to pray, and to ask Him for help. A deeper love of God will come from this connection, as well as a true appreciation for everything God has given you, both in terms of the present and the future. Furthermore, by having this time every day, your faith won’t waver as easily either. Daily devotions are a perfect way to keep your connection with God strong.
For Prayer
Prayer is always important but especially in times of trouble. Using your daily devotional time to pray is a great idea that many people take advantage of. You’re already in the right frame of mind, so what better time is there to talk to God? He’s already giving you direction during this time so talk with Him and share your struggles as well.
For instance, if you’re not sure about a relationship, a career, or a move, or if you’re worried about finances, your health, or your family, use this time to discuss your concerns with Him. Tell Him everything that’s on your mind and ask for His guidance. He has a plan for you, remember that. And praying daily will help you hear Him more clearly.
For Self-Discipline
As with all routines, it takes a certain amount of self-discipline to keep them going. Self-discipline is important, as it shows you how strong you are as a person and reaffirms that you can get anything done when you set your mind to do it. By having a daily devotional routine, you’re fostering your spiritual discipline, which will build self-discipline too. The discipline you build from reading these devotions at the same time every day will have an impact on all areas of your life. In the long run, it will make you more productive as well. It will become part of your everyday life, one that you won’t remember how you were able to live without.
For Correction
No one is perfect. Everyone gets off track sometimes. That’s the beauty of having a daily devotional routine. It’s a daily routine to keep yourself on track, and when you fall off that track, it provides a clear path to guide you back. Growth happens in all of us. Mistakes happen. But rather than falling into them and moving more off track, by getting right back into your daily devotional routine, you’re doing the opposite. You’re being proactive. You’re acknowledging that you have made a mistake that needs correcting, and you’re actively working to correct it. This will also give you a nice refresh by replenishing you with strength, peace of mind, joy, and love. It will keep everything in perspective and keep you from spiraling into dark times.
It’s Worth It
There are many great reasons to start a daily devotional routine. It will provide you with direction, connection, prayer, self-discipline, and correction. A daily devotional routine will positively impact areas of your life that you might not have even thought about. It will also help you to live the life God has planned for you.
Choosing a quiet area where you can be alone with God is important when it comes to starting a daily devotional routine. As mentioned above, most people choose to do their devotional time first thing in the morning to truly set the tone for the rest of the day. Here are some more tips to help you turn devotionals into a daily habit.
Your daily devotional routine is your time with God. It’s your time to talk with Him, to confess to Him, and to listen to Him. After a few weeks of devotionals, it will become an important part of your day and may even start to happen seamlessly just as other habits do. If you have been considering starting a daily devotional routine, we encourage you to start one today.
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