Spiritual Practices

There is a yearning deep within us to know God. We might try to deny this, but sooner or later we wonder if "this is all there is" and we begin seeking the "more than." St. Augustine wrote that our hearts are restless until we rest them in God. It is this restlessness that continues to drive us toward God, but too many times we allow our lives to become fragmented and God is pushed out of our lives.

Some might begin attending church in order to connect with God. However, many discover that attending church once a week, or perhaps even a bible study doesn't seem to take care of the restlessness. The reason why is that a couple of spiritual practices once or twice a week doesn't give us enough time with God. When we commit to intentional daily spiritual practices we discover that they can create space in our lives for God. Over time we realize that we are being transformed by God's love and grace. Little by little the disharmony in our lives is replaced with peace. We find that we aren't as restless as we once were.

Here are a few daily practices. My suggestion is to find a practice and live with it for a while. Use it daily. If it doesn't resonate with you, try a different one. The important thing is that you find some time each day to spend with God. Create space in your life for God to move and God will!

NOTE: This page might change from time to time with different (or more) links and more spiritual practices.

SOAP - A method to incorporate scripture, prayer, and journaling  into your life. It is a simple method that can really help you See LifeJournal for more information.

Lectio Divina - An ancient Christian practice of reading, listening, praying and living. This method causes us to slow down as we seek to hear God through Scripture and prayer. See How to Practice Lectio Divina for more information.

Formative Reading - There are many masters of the spiritual life. Throughout Christian history faithful men and women have created road maps to the spiritual life. We can gain much inspiration, challenge and instruction. See The Christian Classics Ethereal Library for a list of recommended books.

Meditating on Scripture - As we mediate on Scripture we are placing ourselves before God. As we read Scripture our goal is not how much we can read in one sitting. Instead, our goal is to allow God, through Scripture to change and transform us. Check out Zondervan's web page for some bible reading plans.

Scripture Reading - Scripture is God's word to us. Yet, many of us either neglect reading scripture, or we turn it into an 'informational' practice of knowing facts and figures but not allowing it to master and transform us. As we read Scripture we always want to read it prayerfully. Yes, the Bible is a book, but it is a book unlike any other. Our task is not to master the Bible, but to allow the Bible to master us.

Journaling - Journaling can be a powerful practice in our spiritual life. As we read Scripture, as we pray, as we live, we write. Writing things down allows us to revisit and see how we have been transformed over time. We see how God has worked!