Article by Debbie DiVirgilio
Faith Based Non-Profit with permission
What are your daily priorities? Do you wake up every morning and make your faith a priority… or is your faith an after-thought that might get squeezed in? Over the years, I have found that if I don’t consciously make my faith a priority, it doesn’t happen, maybe you have found the same? So, what are some strategies for giving it first-place in life?
Plan to spend time reading the Bible each and every day. We learn about the heart of God through His word –this is one way that He speaks to us. This probably means more than just a cursory glance at a scripture, but instead really understanding what the God’s word is trying to teach us. Look at the context of the passage-what is happening before and after, what was going on in the culture, what do the words mean in their original Greek or Hebrew form?
But, we also have to be careful. Sometimes we get in the habit of reading the Bible just to read it, or for knowledge. While knowledge is wonderful, it is not able to really speak to the heart matters in our lives. It is easy to fall into a trap of reading for knowledge—especially when we read the Old Testament. But, God wants to get to our hearts, to the essence of who we are. Each day, before you begin your reading,
When scriptures really speak to you, take a minute to pray and ask God what he wants you to learn from the passages you are about to read.
When scriptures really speak to you, take the time to write them down and begin to memorize them. When we memorize scripture, we are able to call on it and apply it when we need it.
Now it is time to spend time actually communicating with God. Far too often, we spend our time talking and asking God for what we want (not necessarily bad things….but let’s face it, it is really all about what we want.) Plan some time sitting in the quiet and listening for God to communicate with you. It won’t happen when you are talking or when you haven’t prepared your heart, but when get quiet and listen, you will hear Him.
As a leader, faith is an essential part of who you are. When we cultivate our faith, it will flow into everything we do and are. We begin to see ourselves as a puzzle piece within the bigger picture of God’s plan. How exciting is that!
How can you plan to make your faith a priority today? Personally, I find that making my faith a priority means I start the day with God—before I do other things, before my mind is filled.
Read more articles from VOM Magazine here: https://www.veteransoutreachministries.org/vom-magazine/
