Don’t you wish you had more time to read a devotional and pray? It would be great to have an hour each day to study our Bibles and talk to God.
But let’s face it. There are times in life when you don’t have time for that. Like when you have a baby, you have a job with early hours, you have young kids at home or you are out of town and off your normal routine.
These are times when you need a different plan.
You need a 15-minute devotional time that still lets you study the Word and spend quality time with God in prayer.
That’s where these devotionals come in.
I have used all five of these and like that they are all scripture-based and dig deeper into the passage to help you apply it to your life.
Five Short, but Effective Daily Devotionals
- Jesus Calling and other books by Sarah Young
If you’ve never read Jesus Calling, this is the format: There are a couple of paragraphs that are written as if Jesus is speaking directly to you. Then, at the bottom of the page, it sites the scriptures they based the devotional on. The pages are dated, and you just read one short page each day.
- First 5 App
This app was created by Proverbs 31 Ministries and is the devotional I am currently using. It is based on an in-depth study of a book of the Bible. Each day focuses on one chapter, and they write a short devotional that helps you apply something from that chapter. If you want more, you can also order a digital or print experience guide (workbook) that gives you questions to answer about each chapter. I am getting so much from my devotional time going through the current study of 1 and 2 Kings. - Youversion Bible App
This is one of the most popular Bible apps out there; in fact, if you have a Bible app on your phone, this is likely it. They also offer tons of reading plans– everything from topical plans, to books of the Bible to plans that correspond to popular Christian books and movies. Plus, there plans from authors you wouldn’t expect like John Maxwell, Rachel Cruze and Mandisa. You can also set a reminder for a certain time each day to help you remember to read your devotional. - In Touch Daily Devotions
These daily devotions are written by Charles Stanley, father of author and pastor, Andy Stanley. You may have seen Charles Stanley’s broadcasts on TV. Although I do not watch him on TV, his devotions are solid. There is a short passage of scripture to read, plus a devo to go with it. You also have the option of listening to it via an attached audio clip. If you are a paper person, you can sign-up to receive a free print version via mail. - Rick Warren’s Daily Hope Devotional
Remember that super popular book from the early 2000s- The Purpose-Driven Life? The author is Rick Warren and he also offers a daily devotional. This one also focuses on a passage from the Bible with a short devotional and has the ability to listen to an audio version. What’s different about this one is that there are a couple of questions at the end to help you dig deeper in applying what you read to your life.
So, aside from reading a devotional, what does my devotional time look like?
- First, I find a quiet time and place, which is usually first thing in the morning when my daughter is asleep and my hubby is either asleep or at the gym.
- I start with a short prayer to help me focus my thoughts and ask God to open my heart and mind to whatever He wants to show me.
- Then I read the scripture and answer the questions in my study workbook.
- I end my time by writing in this prayer journal, which gives me space to write what I learned about the passage and prayers for the day.
Everyone’s quiet time with God looks a little different. And that’s okay.
It doesn’t matter how long it is or what you read.
And it’s not about checking it off the list.
The whole point is that you can’t have a good relationship/friendship with someone you don’t spend time with.
Setting aside time to read our Bibles and pray allows us to do that.
Know him better. Hear from Him. Talk to Him. Be changed by Him.
There is no better use of your time if you are a Christian.
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