God’s Word in Your Real Life |
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| Let’s be honest with each other.
You’ve likely heard that spending time in God’s Word is vital to a flourishing relationship with God. And one hundred percent that is true. Scripture is filled with truths about what God says about us, thinks about us, and what it means to be loved, set free, and chosen by God.
But what happens when reading the Bible starts to feel mundane and routine? A joyless obligation? When our faith feels stale?
If you’ve ever felt these things, you’re not crazy and you’re not alone. And over the years, I’ve met thousands of people who feel this same way. I’m raising my hand here, too. I have two theories regarding why the habit of reading Scripture is hard for many of us.
We Think of God’s Word as a To-Do List Item
Some of us were taught that reading Scripture is an obligation, and that came with negative connotations (perhaps strictly religious ones) that have been a serious strain to overcome. Perhaps you gave your life to Jesus and then someone handed you a Bible and said, “Now read this,” so you’ve been doing it because it’s what Christ followers are “supposed to do.” Or you have known Jesus your whole life and read the Bible your whole life, so it’s a practice you’ve always done; you just haven’t felt anything fresh from it in a while, and you don’t feel more joy or peace — but again, you know you’re “supposed to.”
Overtime, it can feel like a lifeless to-do list item. This might be one of the Enemy’s favorite ways to keep you from knowing who you are! -
God spends a lot of time in the Bible telling us who we are. The Enemy’s greatest threat is us knowing who we are.
And the Enemy knows that when we stop engaging with God’s words, we grow disconnected from God and disconnected from ourselves. Don’t let the Enemy convince you that knowing what God says about you is a religious box you must check every day, or else. That is what happens when we put the emphasis on the structure of our faith, not the Source of our faith. There is no power in the structure. Reading God’s book of truths is meant to connect you to the Source of life, which is Jesus Himself. Jesus came to set you free from guilt. - If your Bible-reading brings you feelings of guilt, you’re doing it wrong.
If it’s taking life out of you instead of giving life to you, then you’re doing it wrong. If it doesn’t bring you closer to the person of Jesus, then you are doing it wrong. Which brings me to my second working theory. |
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If your Bible-reading brings you feelings of guilt, you’re doing it wrong. |
If your Bible-reading brings you feelings of guilt, you’re doing it wrong. |
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We Don’t Personalize Our Practices This is the truth: There is no one-size-fits-all way to read God’s words for every person in every season.
Your time with God doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s time with God. It doesn’t have to look like your mom’s, your pastor’s, or that one person on Instagram. And it does not have to look like your routine fifteen years ago. If you are struggling to enjoy God’s Word, maybe you need a fresh way to read what God says about you. Do you want to know what the fresh way is? It’s the way that works for your lifestyle, your personality, how you engage, how you enjoy, and most important, what’s that’s doable.
Consider trying a new translation of the Bible to see if it helps you see the Scriptures in a new way. Try Bible apps, audio versions, or praying through a Psalm each morning. Switch up times of day, consider involving a friend, or search out Bible study guides that pique your interest. When my little brother gave his life to Jesus, we slowly read through the Gospels together. Reading it slowly and in community helped me see Jesus in a brand-new way.
When Jesus was growing up, He went out of His way to know what God said about Him. One time His family lost Him on a family trip, and they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. — Luke 2:46 NIV
Jesus did not always follow the path everyone else was on. It was urgent to Him to read, learn, and engage with God’s Word.
The question is not, “How does everyone else practice reading God’s Word?” The question is, “How will you make time and space to engage with what God says about you today?”
Just like Jesus, you might have to go out of your way. But this will be one of the primary ways you connect and stay connected to Jesus, and with who you really are. You will know who you really are when you spend real time with the One who knows you the best. |
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Does Bible reading feel boring and obligatory? Do you feel guilty if you don’t have a devotional time just a certain way? Why not change it up? Jesus wants the real you to know the real Him. He wants to spend time with you and speak to you. It doesn’t have to follow any particular pattern or stay the same all the time! ~ Devotionals Daily |
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You don’t have to live disconnected from yourself or from God |
You Are More Than You've Been Told: Unlock a Fresh Way to Live Through the Rhythms of Jesus |
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+ FREE shipping on all orders $35 and more |
Have you ever felt unseen, unwanted, or unworthy? If so, you’re not crazy. You’ve been told lies your whole life. From the beginning of time, the enemy has been fighting against you knowing who you really are, so you never live the full life you were created to live. But there is good news…
There is a way to know who you really are, and live like it, every single day. It’s shockingly practical, down-to-earth, and tangible.
While Jesus was on earth, He lived a lifestyle of rhythms that helped Him fight the lies of the enemy. Through His habits, we will discover a roadmap to living lighter, and living as who we really are. You are more than what people have said about you. You are more than what you have done and what’s been done to you. It turns out—You will know who you really are when you spend real time with the One who knows you the best. Let this practical roadmap show you how. |
In You Are More Than You've Been Told, spoken word artist and bestselling author Hosanna Wong unveils a fresh approach to spiritual disciplines as the practical ways we can stay connected to God and to our true selves. She will help you
- identify the lies that have held you back and uncover important truths about who you are and have always been,
- discover tangible tools to help you heal from deep wounds and see God in the most tender places of your story, and
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unlock four key rhythms that will help you be free of burdens you were never meant to carry.
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Building a Resilient Life Online Bible Study |
Building a Resilient Life Online Bible Study |
"Adversity awakens. It awakens us from our comfort and our numbing. It awakens us to what we are capable of. It awakens us to what's worth fighting for. It awakens us to what it means to follow Christ." - Rebekah
Join the free Building a Resilient Life Online Bible Study by Rebekah Lyons and get access to 5 weeks of study videos, plus some other great free resources to help you build a resilient and flourishing life, no matter what form of adversity comes your way. See you there? |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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