WHEN
I would recommend you find a consistent time when you are relatively free of responsibilities and quieted. For me, this is at night before bed, because I am most free of distractions and everything is quiet. You probably don't want to do your devotionals between classes or when in a busy place, as you will naturally have several other things in your mind stealing away your attention. I know many Christians who prefer the mornings, as it gives them a God-focused start to the day before busyness and the pace of life picks up. Whatever you choose, consistency is pretty key, because devotionals are something we should strive to do regularly as Christians; not just when the opportunity presents itself conveniently. As a young Christian, setting strong spiritual habits and disciplines now will have spiritual payoffs for your relationship with God down the road, when life only gets busier and busier, and a clear Biblical direction is needed.
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For more information on "devotionals", keep reading on. After answering your question of when, it may be important to backtrack to explain WHAT it is.
"Devotionals", or "quiet time" is a modern-day term that we use to describe spending personal time with God. It tends to look different for everyone, but will include some common elements:
- learning about God's word (reading the Bible)
- looking into your own life (introspection/reflection)
- spending time in communication with God (prayer)
So if devotionals is a modern-day term, and not a term mentioned in the Bible, WHY do we do it? Well, the principles/bare essentials of devotionals are timeless, and find their root in the Bible:
- God wants us to seek Him (Acts 17:26-27)
- God wants our dedication/commitment (Matt 10:37-39)
- God wants us to know Him (John 17:3)
- God wants us to pray to him (Phil 4:6-7)
Practically speaking, how do we do devotionals? We talked about WHEN and WHY, but let's go through the others to figure out a clear action plan.
WHO - You, just you. No distractions. There are settings for corporately getting to know God better (like Sunday mornings), but devotionals are times for growing your intimate relationship with God, and learning to hear from Him.
WHERE - Not somewhere you would easily get distracted, like a basketball court or in front of the TV. Somewhere quiet ideally, and a place where you are comfortable.
HOW - So we've talked about learning about God's word, reflection, and praying. You'll need your Bible for learning about God's word, perhaps even a devotional book or commentary to help guide your reading. For reflection, consider getting yourself a journal to write in once in a while (or everyday); repenting of sins is also a very Biblical way of reflecting. You can get creative with how to pray; but using the Bible in your prayers is a great way to pray if you are unsure exactly what/how to pray.
[Answered by Mark Cheng, Agape Counselor]
