This week marks the beginning of Summer Soul Camp, where we’re diving into Unforced Rhythms of Faith! But this blog isn’t about that–you can read about it here.
This blog is about my own personal daily faith rhythms, which I must confess are sometimes forced. There have been times in my life that my daily devotional time (or quiet time or daily discipleship or rule of life–this spiritual practice goes by many names) has been easy to do and other times it has been more challenging.
In high school I remember covering my bedroom wall with multi-colored notecards full of Bible verses. I would write them out after church or youth group so I could memorize them and be encouraged by the Word of God when I needed it most. I would pray each night as I went to bed, something simple like a minute long prayer.
In college I had less of a daily devotional routine but attended a LOT of events for my spiritual growth. Monday was Party With Jesus, a night of worship music in a log-cabin style building. Tuesday-Thursday was chapel. Then on Saturday I would often fast. And Sunday of course was for regular church! Between these routine weekly events and additional special opportunities like prayer meetings, campus revival, and more, I spent a lot of time with God. Oh, and my degree was in Christian Education, so my homework was literally to study the Bible.
As an adult while working full-time at the restaurant, I really learned the difference between “forced” and “unforced” rhythms of faith. My daily rhythm here was much less structured. I pieced together prayers under my breath as I went about my day. Sometimes it was sincere, calling upon the Lord in gratitude or in need. Other times it was because I felt I had to, focused on doing the things I know Christians are supposed to do. This wasn’t all bad, but it was an adjustment from the previous several years of my daily faith practice.
For the past two years or so I’ve cycled through a few different daily rhythms. Ideally, I wake up and spend time reading and journaling Scripture each day. I follow a plan on the YouVersion Bible app or written devotional from one of my favorite authors. Typically I like to end this time with a few minutes of silence, listening to discern God’s voice. Then I transition out of this time with another habit, like learning Spanish in the Duolingo app or reading a book for professional growth. This daily rhythm is interspersed with weekly Sabbath, occasional fasting, and conferences or retreats.
But to be honest, I can build a daily rhythm and even when I love it, I still need to switch things up every few months! My life pulse has always beat favoring seasons. I thrive on structure, but I want that structure to last about 2-3 months. Then I want a different structure.
Have you ever had the experience where you get into a good routine–not just in faith, but in life–and then one schedule variation throws the whole thing off? I think about summer as a prime example. You might finally settle into the perfect summer routine for your family. The kids know where to go and when. You’ve planned which days to eat out and which ones to stay home and grill. You’ve got a rhythm for sports, work, babysitters, and pool days. Then you go on vacation or your rhythm is otherwise interrupted and it takes twice as much energy to get back to the normal routine?
I used to see this as a huge flaw for myself. How can I feel so discombobulated by one slight variation? I don’t want to be the kind of person whose whole life is upended by one small change.
While there is some benefit to working through those feelings to get back on track, I no longer think persevering is the only right answer when these disruptions occur. Sometimes it is better for me to take the hard road of getting back to the routine. Other times it’s better that I use my creativity to build a new one.
As we think about daily faith rhythms, that’s my invitation to you.
What would your ideal daily faith practice look like? The easy answers are some versions of Scripture reading and prayer, but you could also include journaling or drawing, worshiping through music, taking communion, practicing silence and solitude, a gratitude practice, taking a nature walk, and the list goes on and on! Build a daily routine that works for you right now, and then when those interruptions come, embrace the freedom you have to build a new one!
Maybe in June you’ll read a chapter of Scripture each day, but in July you’ll read just one verse each day and meditate on it. Maybe in August you’ll take a prayer walk each evening, then in September you’ll spend ten minutes in silence every morning.
God wants to meet with you daily. But I promise God’s expectations for your daily faith rhythm are far less specific than what you might think. Don’t be tempted to think you have to do a certain amount, for a certain time, or a certain way.
What if you embraced the truth that each day might be different and stopped feeling guilty about not meeting some expectation that wasn’t set by Jesus?
And while we’re on the topic of guilt, let’s clarify that “daily” is not an all-or-nothing routine. You don’t need to feel guilty for skipping a day. One of the biggest struggles in my faith as a teen and young adult was reading devotional books. I hated anything that was supposed to last a specific number of days. As a perfectionist, if I was reading a 30-day devotional, my mind immediately said “You must read this in exactly 30 days.” So if I missed a day, all hope was lost.
I never made it more than about 4-7 days before I skipped a day. So then I would literally put the book back on my shelf. After all, I had already failed, so why finish the book now?
Praise God I’m no longer a slave to perfectionism in this way. In fact, I recently purchased a sticker-by-number book (like color-by-number, but with stickers) knowing that I would not lay each sticker down perfectly. Once they’re stuck, they’re stuck! And it’s… dare I say, relaxing… to do it imperfectly.
God is gracious enough to give me freedom through this sticker book.
My current daily faith rhythm is consistent 4-5 days each week. Then the other 2-3 days I am meeting with God either more or less than my ideal rhythm. So when I say “daily,” what I really mean is 4-5 days per week.
When I create individual Custom Devotional Plans, I take this into account. If you’re looking for a 30-day plan, only 21-25 of those days will actually have a devotional. The other 1-2 days per week are there for you to not be perfect.
God knows each of us better than we know ourselves. He has never been surprised by my inability to stick to a specific routine for more than a few days, weeks, or months. He’s not surprised by your rhythms either.
I don’t say this as an excuse, but as an opportunity. It’s much easier to create lasting change when it comes from an invitation, not from guilt. It’s much more enjoyable to meet with God because you want to, not because you feel like you have to.
I’m not interested in a faith where guilt–instead of love, kindness, and invitation–leads me to action. The God I know from Genesis to Revelation is a gentle pursuer who never stops offering himself to us.
Even in the beginning when Adam and Eve sinned the first time, God’s offer to them was a question, “Where are you?” He didn’t meet their sin first with guilt, but with a reminder that he still wanted them. God invited them to come out of hiding.
That’s what daily faith rhythms are–a daily choice to not hide from God.
We’ll go deeper into guilt in another blog someday. For now, remember this one, simple truth: God just wants to be with you.
Come out of hiding.
