Don't Waste 2024
The first week of 2024 is almost over and the holiday season is behind us. The weight of 2024 is upon our shoulders, along with its numerous responsibilities and commitments. It is easy to be distracted and overwhelmed by the weightiness of life. And if we are not careful, we could be wasting all of it.
As humans, we naturally seek meaning and fulfillment in life. Our lives are short, and we look for ways to make the most of what limited time we have, perhaps for self-glorifying reasons. If we really want a fulfilled life, there is no better way than to live for Jesus in all things, seeking to glorify Him in every circumstance.
It is not easy living a Christ-centered life. It will require discipline. It will require sacrifice. But it will be fulfilling. There are 3 key areas in which you can grow that will help orient your life towards Jesus: being involved with a local church, having a consistent habit of reading the Bible, and cultivating a healthy prayer life.
Be active in a local church
One of the best ways to grow in your walk with Christ is to be active in a local church. When I say active, I do not mean merely attending the morning service and nothing else. We are called to be a part of more than just “checkbox Christianity” where we attend church as a weekly task that needs to be accomplished to make sure we are Christians. This will depend on the denomination and local church, but there are usually a variety of different ways to be active in church beyond just the Sunday morning service.
Consider joining a small group or Bible study. This is an excellent way to have edifying fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ in a more private setting. Not only would you be able to learn more about the Bible, but you would also be able to encourage and uplift others, and receive encouragement in your own walk with Christ. The Christian walk is not meant to be done alone, and being part of a small group can be a significant spiritual blessing.
Show up for adult Sunday School. In my experience, churches that have adult Sunday School usually have it before the main service, or in-between services. Sadly, from what I have seen, not that many people show up for it, even if the following worship service has significantly more people. Attending Sunday School is a great way to learn more about the Bible, and depending on how the class is structured, you might even have an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the topic, which will further grow your understanding of the Word of God.
Participate in outreach. Outreach is more than just witnessing directly to someone, though it might be a part of it. Many outreach programs have something to do with serving others in need, such as handing out free meals. There are many people who are without hope and who need Jesus. A church that has an outreach program that serves the hopeless can make a significant spiritual impact on a local community, and outreach can only take place if enough people volunteer for it.
Churches thrive on participation beyond a Sunday service. If you want to be a part of something greater than yourself, be actively involved in a local church. It might not be big or glamorous, but the spiritual fruits born of faithful, consistent involvement can be life-changing. The Lord may use you in ways you would never expect. Your pastor will also appreciate your involvement!
Build a Bible reading habit
Psalm 1 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is only 6 verses long, yet it beautifully and effectively illustrates the importance of regularly being in Scripture. The blessed man is one who meditates on Scripture daily and he will be as strong as a tree. Do you wish to see your faith as strong as a tree, capable of withstanding the harrowing winds of life? Rooting yourself in the Word of God will help you endure what life might throw at you, and there are several ways to help build a habit of daily reading.
If you are not sure where to start reading, you can follow a Bible reading plan! Following a Bible reading plan will help you stick to a schedule and build a habit. Some plans will focus on a small section of Scripture while others will navigate the entirety of Scripture. All of them will help you learn more about the Word of God.
It will also help to set a specific time each day to read and study the Bible. I personally like to study at night, but that might also depend on my schedule. Others prefer to study the Bible in the morning before work. What is most important is finding a time where you can focus the most on studying the Bible, and then be consistent and disciplined in reading daily.
When you do read, start with a mindset that joyfully anticipates what you will be reading. Always start with prayer, asking the Lord to help you understand what you will read so that you can apply it to your walk with Christ. After a few weeks or months of consistent studying, you might be surprised by how much you have learned and grown!
Cultivate a robust prayer life
Of the three points I have listed, cultivating a prayer life might be the most difficult and overwhelming. It is easy to show up to a church activity. It is easy to pick up a Bible, flip to a random passage, and read it. It is hard to pray. Many do not know exactly how they can pray. I might write about the different types of prayers in a future post, but for now, I will list different tools we can use to help us pray.
Pray through Scripture as you read it. Praying through Scripture is an effective way to both read more of the Bible and to pray in a consistently Biblical manner. Using Psalm 1 again as an example, you could pray like this: “Lord, please help me to avoid the counsel of the wicked, and grow in me a delight in reading Your Word. Help me to read it daily so that I can grow in righteousness and be spiritually strong in You.”
Write down prayer requests and set aside time to pray. This is a great habit to pair with Bible reading. If you do not have a list of prayer requests, it might be difficult to remember the different needs that the people you love have. By having a list, your prayer time will be more focused.
Use a prayer book. Prayer books are a collection of prayers that you can use in your prayer life. I have a copy of the Valley of Vision, which is a collection of prayers by Puritans. I have found it useful in my own prayer life as it helps me to have more robust prayers, and it shows me different things I can be praying about.
Being actively involved with a local church, along with regularly reading the Bible and praying, will take up a lot of our time, and may require us to make sacrifices in our busy schedules. But if we want to grow in our walk with Christ, and if we want to make a spiritual difference in the lives of other people, then taking action in our faith will lead to a fruitful 2024 and beyond. Don't let 2024 roll by without centering your life around Jesus. Your life will be much more fulfilling if you live for Jesus.