13 Ideas for Your Devotional Time

 

Although I compiled this list a while ago, after reading several convicting devotional plans over this past weekend, I am even more enthused about this post!  Today I’m keeping it short and sweet: 13 different ideas for your devotional time.  This list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will be useful to you as you continue spending time with the Lord and tapping into different resources and ways to learn about Him.

 

1.  Read the Bible.

  Enough said! :)

2. Pray.

  Relationships function best when both sides invest.  The Bible is God speaking to us, and prayer is how we reciprocate.

3. Use music.

  Musical worship is something God commands for us to do in the Bible (Psalm 150), and I believe we are to use music both corporately and individually.

4.  Read a Bible plan.

  I’ve raved about the YouVersion Bible app before, and I’ll rave about it again!  This tool has made a world of difference in my devotional time this year.  Choosing structured Bible plans to study Scripture either systematically or topically has motivated me immensely.  I encourage you to pick out a Bible plan today!

5.  Read a devotional book.

  There are many great devotional studies, including the Life Touch series (Steve Pettit), the “Be” books (Warren Weirsbe), and many others; no doubt you have your own favorites.  Please comment below and share those titles with others!

6.  Journal.

  I keep both a spiritual reflection journal and a prayer journal.  I love journaling my thoughts and observations and prayers, and reflecting on them at later dates to remember how God worked in my life and how He continued molding me from there.

7.  Bible journal.

  This may seem like a repeat of the last point, but I mean something a bit different.  By “Bible journal,” I mean get a journaling Bible.  These are Bibles that are purposefully designed with thick margins (either blank or lined) and can be used for taking notes and/or doing Scripture art and lettering.  I love my journaling Bible and use it for both!

8.  Memorize Scripture.

  Bible Memory (previously known as Scripture Typer) is my favorite resource for memorizing Scripture, but each person is unique.  Find a method that helps you internalize Scripture.

9.  Write Scripture.

  Writing Scripture is another way you can spend quality time in God’s Word and meditate on a particular passage.

10.  Listen to sermons.

  There are a whole host of sermons on Sermon Audio that you can download and listen to either during your devotions, or at a later time while you cook, clean, drive, etc.

11.  Review sermon notes.

  If you take notes during sermons at church, go back through and review those notes.  Perhaps you can do this as you re-listen to the same sermon, provided it is available.

12.  Use a Bible study method.

  Some helpful methods include SOAP and the Swedish Bible Study Method.

13.  Print off a passage to mark up.

  This summer for my Old Testament class, I daily printed Scripture to mark up using the Swedish Bible Study Method, as well as adding my own, extra thoughts and observations in the margins.  Make sure you print your Scripture double or triple-spaced!