Originally published Friday, 17 January 2014.
There is one common question I am asked continually by readers, friends and those I mentor:
How do I stay on the bandwagon? How do I stay motivated to make time for Jesus? How do I have an effective "quiet time" or "devotion time?"
My answer to share is so very simple, yet really not that simple. I would like for you to hear me out with an open mind as we rearrange our perspective on this topic.
We stay passionate about our time with Jesus, our time in the Bible, our time in prayer by looking at that time as a vehicle to promote CONVERSATION with the very King of Kings. Conversation. Simple as that, right?
Instead of sitting down for the obligatory "quiet time," what if it wasn't quiet at all? What if we threw out all that we think we know about how we "should" spend time with God? What if we approached Jesus as if He were actually in the room, as if He was ready to interact with us in a real, maybe even out of the normal way.
Conversations aren't quiet.
Conversations aren't boring.
Conversations are not usually one-sided--nor should they be.
Conversations invigorate.
Conversations promote fellowship.
Conversations are imperative to a real encounter with Jesus. We so often sit down to check the box with our Bible and maybe a good devotional book or Bible study. (I LOVE THOSE BOOKS!) Let those resources be a conduit to the conversation.
What do you normally do when you sit down with a friend to chat? You want to know more about her. You want to hear about her life and her heart. It is the same with Jesus. We take our relationship with the King to the next level beyond the mundane (on our part, of course!) by sitting down with Him for one purpose:
to KNOW who GOD is...
Our soul was created to yearn for God. We are wired to seek out fulfillment that only God can sustain in us. We only satisfy this innate desire by seeking Him out. We only step into true relationship with Jesus when seek out WHO He is. This starts with a conversation.
Conversation with God's word: sitting with His book to read and engage with GOD's story--real life, relevant story.
Conversations with God in prayer: sitting still and letting Him express His side of things rather than doling out a laundry list of needs and requests.
Conversations with God in worship: This is where it gets exciting. We can worship God literally anywhere. If you love writing, worship Him with your words. If you love nature, worship God by experiencing His creation. If you love sports, worship Him by playing with all your might and telling people why. If you love art, create something of beauty reflecting what God is doing in your life. And of course, sing songs of praise to the One who is worthy of our vocal acclamation.
We have a part in the conversation. We have "work" to do on our end. Just like in any relationship, if we don't cultivate the communion and the conversation, it falls short. Oh how He desires us to seek after Him. He WILL be found...
If you seek me with all your heart, I will be found. (paraphrase of Jeremiah 29:13-14)
So there you have it. My best advice on getting on that bandwagon...for stating motivated in your devotional time.
Devoted to conversation.
Does this change your perspective? How can you be more devoted to conversation with Jesus?
Leave a comment...let's chat!
(photo credit: Benson Kua via photopin cc)
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