In Robert Boice's book Professors as Writers: A Self-Help Guide to Productive Writing, he discusses what productive writers have in common: "All of us have managed to be productive by devoting brief daily periods, sometimes no more than 30 minutes a day, to writing. Moreover, in my experience, this regimen requires giving up neither essential nor enjoyable activities." Pastor Jon Tyson writes about radical incrementalism. This is the commitment to do the least you can do to make progress, not the most. It is a practice that enables you to follow through each day without being discouraged and exhausted. The goal is consistency and not trying to accomplish everything in one day. The focus is on establishing roots daily, not on reaching for fruit every day.
We can struggle with our relationship with God and meeting with the Lord regularly. As with writing, the daily discipline of meeting with the Lord for 10 minutes is valuable. You do not need to expect your life to change in those ten minutes; you are tilling the soil and establishing roots in your relationship with God. Over the long journey, much will happen over the days, weeks, and months as you read God's word and pray. You might stretch your time with him to 20 or 30 minutes, but you are not watching the clock. The point is that every day, you sit down, communing with your Heavenly Father, and patiently seek him with seemingly little immediate return as the Lord does his work in and through you.
If you are looking for ways to begin or refresh your daily time with God, here are a few simple practices you can try:
- Set aside a specific place and time each day, even if it is just 10 minutes, to be alone with God.
- Read a short passage from Scripture. You can start with the Psalms or a Gospel. Ask God to speak to you as you read.
- Spend a few moments quietly in prayer, sharing your thoughts or concerns with the Lord, or simply listening in the silence.
- Write down a verse or prayer in a notebook to reflect on throughout the day.
- Use a short devotional guide or read a daily reflection to help focus your thoughts.
The most important thing is to begin, and to come as you are. Over time, these small steps will grow into a deeper and more rooted relationship with God.
Your focus is not on the fruit you will bear but the roots you establish. This past Sunday, from Psalm 126, you reap what you sow. The focus is on what you are sowing in your life. "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin." Zechariah 4:10
