I remember in my early days as a mother and wife, I would feel overwhelmed by all my duties. I watched older, godly ladies seemingly breeze through life - they acted like nothing bothered them. I knew they had some tough problems to face, but they were serene and calm.
How could they stay so calm? I wondered. What is their secret?
I think I know the secret.
They put God first. Over years of troubles and trials, they always sought God's face first. Over years of reading God's Word and praying, they developed a sturdy faith in almighty, sovereign God.
I saw the end result; the quiet trust. But that only came through years of daily, hourly prayer and focus on Jesus. Years of refining and fine-tuning. Their kids were toddlers, once, too. They were exhausted and frustrated and felt overwhelmed at times, I'm sure! But day by day, years built up into a sanctuary for God Almighty in their hearts.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
When I was a small child, my mother taught me that the only way to know Jesus, is to read the Bible and pray. I am so thankful for her teaching. What began as a good habit, turned into a life-saving practice. Out of habit, I made it a priority to read the Word and pray every morning. But it wasn't long till I realized the power that came with the practice.
The more trials we faced, the more I craved God's words. I found comfort, strength, refreshing, conviction, and understanding in the pages of Scripture. There were some days when I was too sick or tired to read or barely pray. Certainly not the long prayers one would expect from a Christian! But many whispered "please help me Father!" rose up in those days.
I do not think God has a rigid "Thou shalt" about how we should pray, although He does give us an example in the famous Lord's Prayer. I believe He is a loving Father who desires us to pour out our hearts before Him!
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm 62:8
If you lack spiritual strength and maturity in your life, consider whether you are putting God first. Do you find it hard to read and pray? Have you considered that may be because Satan knows it is very important, so he will do everything in his power to keep you from it?
My personal enemy lately has been my phone. It is so easy to pick it up and 'check it quick', but that turns into a 30 minute session before you know it, there went my bible study time! I am resolving today to place my phone in an out-of-the-way spot tonight, so tomorrow it is easier to go to my study spot before I ever touch my phone,
Addicted? Maybe. But Christians have had distractions in every generation, and this is ours. No excuses; just identify the problem and deal with it. That's all I can do.
What measures do you take to make Bible study a priority? Have you found it necessary in your growth as a Christian?
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