I have another confession to make that may surprise you – sometimes I wonder why you follow me. At times, I struggle in my devotion to God’s plan for my transformation. And I know why. I struggle in my transformation because I struggle in my commitment to God’s plan. I was thinking about this today in my newly cleaned up office. What will it take to keep my office clean and clutter free for an entire year? Daily cleaning. And that, my friends, is my struggle.
When I began 2014, I had great ideas and hopes for how this was going to be the year I finally attained what I desire – anxiety free living. As I ended 2014, I realized that even though I had made progress, I was still fighting anxiety and the depression that anxiety creates in me. Last January, I was privileged to be part of a spiritual formation group that met for an entire week. After that, I followed up with weekly and bi-weekly spiritual coaching sessions. I am so glad I did. But what I realize is that I was relying on these sessions to be all that I needed to really change.
That’s true for every one of us. If we’re going to change, we must engage in certain disciplines that will help us be the kind of person tomorrow that we’re not today because there is no magic wand. There is no secret short-cut. It’s about engagement. So, this year, I’m committing to more than just good intentions concerning God’s plan. I am committing to engagement in God’s plan. You’ll hear more about this in the weeks to come.
For now, let me say that the number one method for spiritual formation is – get ready, drum roll, please – Bible engagement. Engaging in the Bible and listening for God to speak is more than just attending church once a week and hearing a pastor talk about the Bible. Bible engagement is when we read it, listen for God to speak, and then write out a prayer or thought. And it’s helpful to do this daily.
Last week we introduced our daily Bible reading plan. In today’s world of devices and apps, many people want a plan that can be delivered to their device. If that’s you, let me recommend my favorite Bible app and site. It’s called YouVersion. You can click here and follow the link to the page for yearly reading plans. Pick one – the one that matches our plan is called “Life Journal Reading Plan.” I look forward to hearing your stories of how God is using your engagement in His Word to transform you.
On Sunday, I’ll be introducing our 2015 Church Prayer. Please be in church to hear how to apply this prayer we’ll be engaging in together for the entire year. I’d still love to hear how the 2014 prayer impacted you. Please email me and let me know, or post a comment below.
Looking forward to a year of engagement,
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