4. Start a Bible reading plan.
Many times, our devotions lack substance because we don’t appropriately plan them out. We meander from verse to verse, reading a bit here, a snatch there, yet never making any real progress through God’s word.
If this describes your devotions, maybe you need a Bible reading plan to get you on track. The ESV Bible website has a bunch of different Bible reading plans to get you started.
If your devotional life is lacking direction, trying starting a Bible reading plan.
5. Abandon your plan.
Some of us like plans a little bit too much. We like to make lists and then cross things off those lists. We like the feeling of progress, of moving forward, of gettin’ her done. We apply our love for plans to our Bible reading, and thus read through the Bible every year like clockwork.
This is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But there are times when we need to abandon our plan and simply slow down our Bible reading. To delight in and savor a chapter, or a section, or just one verse.
If your devotional life is feeling too rigid and stiff, try abandoning your plan for a while.
6. Change up your methods.
Most of us read the Bible. After all, the Bible is a book and books are meant to be read. No argument from me.
But remember, significant portions of the scriptures were originally intended to be heard. The apostolic letters were read aloud in the churches. The Psalms were read aloud in the synagogues. Scripture was meant to be both read and heard. The ESV Bible site allows you to listen to the Bible instead of reading it.
If your devotional life is feeling repetitive, try listening to God’s word. Take notes as you listen.
Out of all these tips, the first is the most important. You can do all the right things, and yet if God doesn’t work powerfully in your life nothing will happen. However, I know that God wants your devotions to be meaningful. He wants you to have a vibrant, joyful devotional life. In light of that truth, I would encourage you to prayerfully try these different suggestions.
Don’t be content with a mediocre spiritual life. Press into God. He wants to meet you.
