Strengthen Your Walk with God this Year
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As we continue to start the New Year refreshed and driven to live with intention and purpose, one area that can always use more focus is our relationship with God.
Life happens and we let the busyness of the day-to -day get in the way of time in the Word, prayer, and fellowship with our Creator. We don’t mean to, but it happens.
Today Tobi is sharing some simple tips to strengthen your walk with God this year. I’ll admit that while most of these seem so obvious, I could definitely put a little more energy into practicing these daily disciplines. And I think tip #4 is genius… especially for busy moms!
Guest post by Tobi from Simply Jesus Ministries
The month of January is a time of reflection and evaluation for most people, a time to re-focus our energy on what we deem important, we start exercising, and eating healthier, maybe even decide we need to shed a little of that holiday weight brought on my that awesome fudge recipe.
But in the midst of focusing on becoming healthier physically let’s stop for a moment and think about our spiritual lives. If you are like me, the busyness of the holidays or just life, in general, can wreak havoc on your devotional life, and you need to get back to filling up your spiritual tanks on a daily basis.
Or maybe you just need some new ideas to break up the monotony of reading that passage in the One Year Bible we all think we need to invest in this time of year.
Whatever the case may be here are five ways to strengthen your spiritual walk all year long
1. Lean into God
Remember who you are in Christ!
You are His child. He loves you abundantly and longs to spend time with you, and sometimes it’s okay to grab a cup of coffee or tea and curl up and be quiet and just listen to what God has to tell you.
[clickToTweet tweet=”It’s OK to grab a cup of coffee, curl up, be quiet & just listen to what God has to tell you. ” quote=”It’s OK to grab a cup of coffee, curl up, be quiet & just listen to what God has to tell you.”]
Look at your devotional time as the time you get to spend with a loved one, not something to check off your to-do list.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Psalm 46:10-11
2. Think Small
Instead of making a long list of resolutions about what needs to change in my life, I choose a single word to focus on for the entire year.
I look up and memorize verses centered on a specific word. This has helped me really dig deep into what I believe God is calling me to focus on.
With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:10-11
3. Have a Plan
Choose a specific book of the Bible or devotional to read through, it makes it less stressful if you don’t have to try and figure out what you are going to read, especially if time is short you don’t want to spend the entire time trying to decide what to read.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3
Here are a few more resources for making your quiet time happen, it even includes ways to involve the kids.
Looking for quiet time resources to grow your faith? This massive list contains 30+ books and Bible resources that will challenge, equip, encourage and inspire you to open the Bible and let His truths marinate in your heart. A must read list for Christian women of all ages.
4. Listen to the Word
Having one of those days where you just know you are not going to be able to sit down long enough to read your Bible?
Well, did you know that Bible Gateway and the YouVersion App both have an audio option? If you choose the NIV version it will give the choice to listen instead of read at the top of the page. (Just click the little megaphone thing)
You also can find a lot of online Bible studies to stream, Podcasts or even turning on YouTube, Pandora or to your favorite worship music helps keep our minds focused on Jesus. So crank up the volume and as you wash the dishes or make dinner, you can fill up your spiritual tank as well.
And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. Luke 8:15
5. Join a Small Group
When you are part of a small group there is a sense of accountability as well as a support system for when you are having a rough week. So get those friends together and study the Bible or go through a book together. Some of my favorite group studies are by Beth Moore and Ann Voskamp.
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17
I realize that as you are reading this that January is about to come to an end and you may or may not have been successful in being diligent about eating right, exercising or spending time with God. But I want you to remember that you are saved by grace, and that doesn’t just include the day you accepted Christ, but every other day as well.
We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. Acts 15:11
So go easy on yourself and remember that each day is a brand new blank slate and that God loves you to the moon and back, and that it is the Holy Spirit living inside of you that will give you the power to walk close to Him. (Or even lose those few extra holiday pounds)
But Lord, you are a God who is tender and kind. You are gracious. You are slow to get angry. You are faithful and full of love. Psalm 86:15
What are some ways that you find time to get more Jesus in your life? Be sure to share in the comments so we can all benefit from your wonderful ideas.
In His Strength,
Tobi
Tobi is a writer that loves Jesus, coffee, and her people, she is head of Children’s Ministry at her church, and her greatest desire is that people young and old would grow in the knowledge of Jesus, and His love for them. You can read her words about her faith and life at simplyjesusministries.com
* Image from Flicker
Thanks Victoria for having me over to your online home today! 🙂
Loved having you here Tobi!
You’re so right, Victoria! #4 is genius.
This is an excellent list, Tobi. I think #5 is very important not only for accountability, but because we have so much to learn from one another when we study together.
Thanks for sharing this encouraging post, ladies!
That is very true Heather, it’s like that verse that talks about iron sharpening iron. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks Tobi for the wonderful tips!getting to bed on time is probably the best thing I can do to get up early the next day to spend time in the word.
Hi Martha, yes getting to bed at a decent hour is so important and something I also struggle with since I am such a nigh owl. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
I go through different seasons where I alternate whether I’m a night owl or a morning person 🙂 but I have found that when I have a consistent evening routine, my morning routine naturally happens which includes time in the Word.
Oh my friend I love all of these tips… and use them all too! I am a huge utilizer (?) of YouTube – both in listening to sermons and worship! It sets an atmosphere and helps me to stay focused. I’m a lover of His Presence… so sometimes it is just as simple as slowly breathing in deep and turning my heart and attention to Him… and just like that, He is there!
Hi Karrilee, as I was writing this I wanted to be more creative, but these are the things that kept coming to mind, probably because they are so important and also easy to neglect doing. I agree about just slowing down long enough to draw near to His presence is huge. Thanks for stopping by.
I have never thought about You Tube! I love listening to sermon Podcasts and worship music throughout the day. I’ll have to check out a few You Tube channels now. Thanks for the suggestion!
Small is definitely good! It took me two years to read through the gospels–but I did it very slowly, one section at a time, and I wrote extensive notes in my Bible (kind of like writing my own study Bible 😉 ). Now I have a treasury right in my Bible (the facing pages had one with text and one blank) of what each of those verses meant to me.
Love that! I made it a goal to read through the Bible a few years ago, and I’m glad I did, but now I am more focused on studying the Word chapter by chapter allowing His Words to truly soak in.
That is so cool Anita, and a very good point, it’s a relationship with God… not a race. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Joining small group is an awesome idea to start into the new year. It is great to have some accountability and friends to call. Thanks for sharing this helpful and inspiring list.