Reclaim your Mind: Start a Morning Devotional Habit
Our minds are being hijacked. Look around and you’ll see it. Faces of all types glued to a glowing screen. We are distracting, numbing, and drowning ourselves in the vast online world. Our devices are useful tools, so it makes sense why we’re so attached to them. But I don’t like how it can destroy our ability to think with depth, understand with clarity, and speak with wisdom. As parents, we need as much depth, mental clarity and wisdom as possible in order to raise our children well.
My personal protest to this madness is that I cultivate a sacred time to think, pray, and meditate on scriptures. This time creates a space where I receive divinely inspired ideas. I’m also able to process any deep matters weighing on my heart. In these moments I get the spiritual power I need for the day and for my life.
I invite you to take action in strengthening this aspect of your spiritual life. Spending time with God through a morning devotional is a form of self-care and a way to prevent and alleviate parental burnout. It’s also a way to protest against the negative impact of screens. This time can cause your personal life to flourish, your mindset to rejuvenate, and it will satisfy the longing of meaning your soul desires. Here are the 4 things to consider as you start a morning devotional habit, or strengthen the time you’ve already set aside.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14, 15)
There is one thing that God longs to give us the most. It is the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. His power creates in us a desire for spiritual things. So before anything else, remember to ask for the power of the Holy Spirit. When you do this He will open the doors for you to carve out time for you to study the Bible and build spiritual power.
In addition to asking God for the Holy Spirit, ask for the desire, ask for time, ask for ideas on where to start, and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you in your time. Sometimes we forget that we can just ask God for what we need. He is available. We don’t have to walk this journey alone. Jesus gave an example of a parent willing to give good gifts to their children when they ask. If an earthly father is willing to give good gifts to his children, isn’t God just as willing to give us what we need when we ask? Especially if it is something that He wants to give. So remember to ask.
“Call to me and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” (Isaiah 33:3)
After, you have asked God for what you need to start a devotional habit, choose what you want to study. The Holy Spirit is the one who will bring to mind the things that you are to meditate on for the day. There are 3 main ingredients that sets the course for a morning devotional. Prayer, a Bible, and a journal. The Bible fills your mind with truth, a journal to write insights, and a willing heart ready to receive God’s power. I could add another one, which is the quiet work of the Holy Spirit. Here are some insights on how to make your devotional relevant.
Mix Prayer with Scripture
Some days you might feel the need to pray more than meditate on scriptures. Other days, it may be the opposite. When choosing scriptures to meditate on, think about your needs. If you want to get familiar with who Jesus is, read the Gospels. For a meditative and contemplative experience, read Psalms. If you want practical wisdom for the day read Proverbs. To understand the story of God in the big picture, read the Bible from the beginning. If you want more joy in your life, do a topical study on the word joy by using a concordance or the study helps found in the back of most Bibles. Ask God to show you where to start and he will show you. A conversation may pop up, a similar theme keeps showing up in different areas of your life. Pay attention, God will show up, be aware and listen.
Engage with the Text
Engage with the text beforehand with questions like, What is happening in the text? What does it mean for that person in the story or text? What does this suggest about Jesus and His character, role, and approach to humanity? How is this relevant to my own life? Seek to understand what the passage means in the context, then apply to your own life. Approach the word with simplicity, curiosity, and openness to hearing God speak and you’ll experience the Holy Spirit moving. Remember to journal and write down your reflections so you can remember it throughout the day. I like to pay attention to the moment my heart moves. That is when I know God wants me to pay attention to that.
Stick with the Bible
There are many inspiring devotional books to use, but I suggest to simply read the Bible. The reason is because it’s important to be familiar with the Bible from your own lens. Also, you’ll build spiritual strength as you allow the Lord to speak to you directly through his word, rather than someone else giving you their insights. It is not bad to use devotional books, I just think it’s more rewarding to let the word speak directly to you. Your confidence in hearing God’s voice will grow. Bible promise books which are collections of scriptures are good as well. In the midst of all of this, the Holy Spirit will draw you in and does the work of transforming your heart and mind.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40
When you start your morning devotional habit and you want or make it stick, remember this: Make it easy for yourself by setting up your environment. Set your journal and Bible on your bedside. Have a Bible promise book beside you as well to peruse on days when you’re short on time. Social scientists who have study habit formation highlight the importance of setting up your environment to support your habit. For example, when you set out your workout clothes the night before you go to bed, you’re more likely to work out in the morning. Create the environment that supports what you want to do. So set out your Bible, journal, pen, Bible scriptures or anything else right next to your bed before you go to sleep. Let that be its permanent home, ready for you to grab in the morning.
“Commit your ways to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” Psalms 37:5
So you’ve asked God for what you need, you’ve found relevant passages, and you’ve prepared your environment. Now it’s time to just commit to this for the long haul. There is a reason why some people fear commitments. Some don’t trust themselves to follow through. They may get overwhelmed by what’s required. Two ways to alleviate this is to start small and to surrender.
First, start small. Everything we do once was a habit that just became a way of life. Habits are about starting small and building.
Second, surrender. Surrender yourself to God’s care, release any need to be in control and let the Lord guide you step by step. Give God an opportunity to commune with you.
Two of my favorite books on prayer are: Purpose in Prayerby EM. Bounds and The Prayer Life by Andrew Murray. These books tell stories of men of faith whose lifelong commitment was to get before God in prayer. Their commitment is inspirational and gives you a glimpse of the incredible power of prayer (another good book: Incredible Power of Prayer by Roger Morneau). So commit and surrender.
Spending time with God in the morning doesn’t have to be complicated. I highlighted four things that have helped me and I hope it will help you too: 1)Ask for what you want, 2) Allow God to make your devotional relevant, 3) Set up your environment, and 4) Make a commitment and surrender.
These choices will help you reclaim your mind from the onslaught of mind-destroying distractions that keep you from thinking clearly and parenting well. Allow God to abide with you throughout the day. Look at these choices as keystone habits that enhance your mental acuity and parental connection. In the midst of your daily activity, listen to God’s voice speaking.
So clearly, I’ve been a willing participant in your eyes being glued to the screen. So right now, I invite you to escape this virtual insanity, and get back to life, back to reality. But before doing that, first consider subscribing for inspiring content that sends you back into the real world with vigor and purpose. Please share your own discoveries as you journey towards renewing your mind and enhancing your spiritual life.
