In fact, I now hunger for my daily rhythms every day I wake. I do it in hotels, at work, on vacation, on airplanes — wherever I am.
Here is, simply put, what I did. It worked for me, and it may work for you, to kickstart a new daily rhythm for feeding on the strength of Christ:
- Get Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day By Day: A 40-Day Journey by Peter Scazerro. and read the Morning/Midday Office in the morning before you turn on your smart phone. It will take you 5-10 minutes.(I would suggest reading the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality before digging into the Daily Office, but it’s not necessary and not delaying is best).
- Read the second meditation, the Midday/Evening Office, at 12 noon, before you grab lunch. It will take you 5-10 minutes.
- Bookend your Daily Office by starting and finishing your day with a simple Morning Prayer (am) and Daily Examen (pm) from How Is Your Soul? as soon as you get up, and as soon as you go to bed.
All of this, together, adds up to about 20-30 minutes of your day.
Try It For 40 Days
Do this for the 40 days of the booklet. Do the 2-minute pauses it suggests for centering on the presence of Christ in you, with you.
Read the Scripture it provides, and the short meditation. Consider the question at the end, then do the 2-minute pause again to center on Christ before you jump up and continue into the day.
Try to add in the Morning Prayer and the Examen, to top and tail your day.
Push through the awkwardness of having a rhythm. Set your smart phone to remind you of the times you’ve chosen.
But start small. Get a rhythm, then fight for it for 40 days.
It’s A Good Time To Begin
I am convinced that gaining this rhythm, a practiced habit that has staying power over time, will alter the next decades of your life if you let it. As for me, I now hunger for those moments; I’ve developed a taste for daily food, that makes the weekly food more a feast — as it should be.
Is there a better time to start? When your kids are grown up? When you’re distressed and feel desperate for a centering habit? Start now.
In my experience, now is the time to put rhythms in your daily discipleship life. There truly is no better time than the present to be…present to God.
Comment below if you’re diving into this, or doing some kind of daily rhythm. Let us know how it’s going.
This article about rest and rhythms originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
