Every pen in my house appears to be empty. It’s my own fault really, I keep putting empty pens back in the drawer. This morning I pulled pen after pen out of the drawer in my attempts to find one that worked. The thing is they all look perfectly fine. From the outside they are lovely looking pens but when you try to get them to write, there’s nothing they can do for you. It’s all looks and no substance with my pens.
It’s that time of year again when looks really matter. When people join gyms and start to run because they want this year to be the year that things change. They want to look good and feel good. I’m all about feeling good and have been drinking my green smoothies almost daily to help with that. Taking care of the body is important after all as it is a gift from God, but while we are taking care of our bodies we cannot forget that our spirit needs care as well. It’s kind of like my pens. Your body can look great from the outside but if you haven’t taken care of your spiritual and emotional needs it can be all looks and no substance with you. We don’t want that, do we?
The thing no one ever tells you {even though they should} is that you have to work your spiritual body out just as much {okay maybe even a little more} than your physical one. Everyday we need to set time aside to be with God so we can be full and strong for the day ahead. This time spent in prayer and reflection is where we grow our spiritual ‘muscles’ and find new ways of looking at things. This time is what so many of us need but don’t get because we’ve packed our lives to the brim with so many things. This being the season of resolution, I say let’s change that. Let this be the year that we prioritize our spiritual health. Let’s resolve to meet God in the morning and see what changes might come from starting our day in God’s midst.
Some tips to get started:
– Set your alarm for 45 minutes before you usually wake up. This gives you 15 minutes to drag yourself out of bed, grab a coffee and settle in where you are comfortable.
– Grab your Bible and some means of taking notes {either a pen and paper, your iPad or whatever you’re comfortable with}. You don’t have to journal or write out every thought you’ve had but writing out piece of scripture that really resonates or jotting down a quick thought can be a great way to really solidify an idea.
– If you don’t just want to jump from section to section find a Bible reading plan. Personally I love reading plans because they keep me on track and focused. You Version is a great free online service that has Bible Reading Plans available for the iPad and for Computers. You can also print out a Bible in 90 Days guide or go with the Canadian Bible Society and their Bible Reading Plans if you’d like.
– If you sleep in, don’t feel bad. Just try again the next day and don’t give up. It can be hard to get into a routine but if you persevere you’ll get there.
– If you’re really absolutely not able to get up in the morning you can of course do this at night but can I suggest you at least try getting up a little earlier for a period of time. I used to sleep until the last possible minute too but now that I have a routine in place I love the solitude and peace I find in the early morning hours. It’s not for everyone of course but you might find it’s not as bad as you thought if you give it a chance and it can really set up your day in a positive way.
Remember there is no such thing as failure, only more chances to succeed. If building a routine doesn’t come easily cut yourself some slack and know that it will come in time. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12 NIV
P.S. – For any ministers reading this, sermon writing and service prep doesn’t count. You still need time for you and God to connect individually. It will help recharge and replenish you. Seriously, you need to take care of yourself.
