Whether you call it Quiet Time or Daily Devotions, I'm sure many of you have heard about the importance of praying and reading your Bible everyday. Most Christians know that these two things are really important for growing in their faith and in their relationship with God. But if we know these things are such a big deal, why do so many of us find it difficult to pray and read our Bibles each day?Usually we say we are too busy, but that has to be the lamest excuse in the world! I know because I have hidden behind it myself. The truth is that we all make time for what is important to us. Of course there are days when school or work gets so out of hand that we hardly have time to eat or sleep, but those are usually rare and can be prevented if we manage our time well. On an average day, we all have time to crack open a Bible and read a few verses. We also have time to talk to a God who is always with us. All you have to do is start talking wherever you are!
These are two very simple things! And that might be part of the problem. They're so simple that we don't believe it actually makes a difference whether we do them or not. I can relate to that. Perhaps you've tried to read a chapter of the Bible each day and yet you continue to struggle with the same sins over and over. Maybe you've prayed for God to heal someone and he or she never got better. But we need to understand that reading our Bibles and praying to God are not supposed to be the means to get what we want.
God has given us His Word so that we can know who He is and do what He has called us to do. Like James says, we shouldn't just read the word; we should also do what it says (James 1:22). And it's not like we have to read for an hour every day. Some times reading just a few verses is plenty of instruction for one day. But don't stop there! Read a few more the next day, and the day after that, etc. You don't have to master the whole Bible in a month or a year! Obeying the Lord is a lifetime commitment; it's ok to take things one step at a time.
The same thing is true for when you pray. Jesus told us not to worry about using a lot of words when we talk to God; (Matthew 6:7) we certainly aren't going to impress Him with any fancy words. Yes, He is the all-powerful God who created the universe and He deserves the utmost respect. But He is also your friend who loves you and wants to hear from you. Talk to Him throughout the day. Tell Him what you are worried about and ask Him for help; tell Him what you are happy about and thank Him for the many ways He has blessed you. As Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "pray continually." That doesn't mean you have to stay on your knees all day with your hands folded and your eyes tightly shut. But know that God is always with you, wherever you go, and you can talk to Him throughout the day.
So I challenge you to make Scripture and Prayer part of your daily lifestyle. It won't work you just try it out for a little while. You need to make a commitment and actually live this way for the rest of your life. That kind of change isn't easy. But if you stick with it and continually ask God to work in you, I guarantee He will change your life in ways you never thought possible.
You can start now! Just pick a book of the Bible (like Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, Matthew, John, Romans, etc.) and read the first few verses. Don't do it to check it off your to-do list. Find out how God wants you to live and do it! And start making a habit of talking to God throughout the day. He can be your closest friend if you let Him.
