Six weeks. It takes six weeks to form a habit.
I was at a conference last week and I heard Rick Warren share about spending time in God’s word. He said most people can’t form a habit with God’s word because they give up long before six weeks.
Unfortunately I am most people.
My devotional life has had its ups and downs over the years. I can look back across old journals and see periods of great consistency, when I was regularly spending time with God. I can also see periods of great inconsistency, when I would go weeks at a time without spending intentional time with God. In all the years I’ve kept journals of my devotional life, I’ve never gone six weeks in a row.
I know there’s more to a life with God than having a quiet time or reading the Bible. There are numerous spiritual disciplines, some of which don’t even involve God’s word. For me, though, I know the impact daily devotions have on my life. I’m one of those very boring people who connects with God through scripture and prayer. If I connected with God through sculpting and painting, then maybe I would need to do those six weeks in a row.
As it is, though, I feel the closest to God when I am consistently spending time in prayer and in his word. In spite of that, I always manage to find excuses to not spend time with God.
“It’s the weekend.”
“I just did it yesterday.”
“I preached last weekend.”
Whenever I make those excuses, though, I’m really just keeping myself from a life-giving discipline that greatly impacts my life.
Why would I do that? Why would anyone do that?
So maybe it’s time to devote the next six weeks to spending intentional time in prayer and God’s word. I got started on my six weeks last Friday and maybe you could get started today. I’m using our church’s weekly reading plans that you can find here.
I don’t know if you connect with God through reading the Bible and praying. Maybe you’re like me and you experience periods of great consistency and inconsistency in your time with God. How would your life be impacted, though, if you spent the next six weeks with God?
Let me know if you’re interested in starting your six weeks and we can find some ways to encourage each other.
I needed to hear this Scott! Thanks for encouraging me to be consistent!
So did I. I was convicted of this just yesterday. I’m certainly interested in your challenge.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it a challenge, more like an encouragement.