Seven-Day Practical Faith Blog: Should I Use Devotionals?

I don't believe spiritual disciplines should simply be daily checkboxes to make us feel like we're following Jesus. But a regular spiritual discipline I recommend is study. We might study Christian Living or spiritual development books, like I write. Or we might read a daily devotion.

Broadly speaking, devotions are brief articles that connect us to both an individual's life experience and to scripture, ultimately revealing God to us. They can be read in one to five minutes. Sometimes, they are accompanied by a prayer we can recite.

I have read devotional books and online devotions off and on throughout my life, ranging from The Upper Room's classic small pamphlet format to hardcover Guideposts collections. I find them useful for focusing on God; they are a short but valuable reset from worldly cares to heavenly calling.

Currently, I'm reading a very good devotional book to which I contributed, "Living the Word," by Guideposts. Each writer shares a Bible verse and how it has informed their life. Each piece is followed by a faith step you can take based on the devotion.

My work was actually published in four Guideposts books this year, along with a couple of Chicken Soup books and Grace Publishing books. You can find the full list if you visit my Amazon author page (https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cecil-Taylor/author/B0B6TB6P1V). Personally, I like to read a devotion from such books right before bedtime as a way to wind down from the day and connect with God before sleep.

My latest podcast guest, Pasquale Mingarelli, offers a different kind of devotion. A nature photographer, Mingarelli writes a daily online devotion centered around a beautiful nature photo he has taken. It's a quick read with a lovely reminder of God's creation (https://visualverse.thecreationspeaks.com/).

I have one more recommendation regarding devotional reading. When you read a devotion, it may or may not speak to you. But pay close attention to the ones that do. Ask why this devotion is so meaningful to you. Keep it close, reread it from time to time, contemplate it more deeply, and consider its life application.

That's how a devotion can help you live a seven-day practical faith.

Have you thought about your Advent preparation? While my new "The Misfits of Christmas" Advent video study and study guide are designed for small group usage, individual learners can also benefit from them. I show how you can take the stories of Christmas into the next 364 days. Learn more by visiting the Cecil Taylor Ministries home page and clicking on the picture of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.