When we exercise regularly, our muscles grow stronger and our whole body becomes healthier. On the other hand, lack of exercise leads to muscle weakness and poor health. It’s like the old saying goes: “use it or lose it.†In 1 Timothy 4, Paul says that bodily exercise is beneficial, but training in godliness is even more important. Paul cautions Timothy about false teachings and urges him to share the truth with brothers and sisters in Christ. In my own life, I want to know and follow the truth, and I’ve developed a daily habit that really helps me.
The first thing I do in the morning after getting up (and before starting any chores) is to spend some time alone with God in prayer. Then I read a few verses from the Bible, and throughout the day I endeavor to keep on meditating on the Scriptures I read in the morning. Later in the day—usually right before I go to sleep—I read a longer passage from the Bible. I’ve found that this exercise of reading and meditating on the Bible helps me mainly in two ways:
1) It helps me keep my mind from meandering into unhealthy areas.
2) When I’m facing a tough situation or a challenge and I need God to intervene, verses or Scripture passages I’ve read and memorized come welling up from my heart. Often, these verses speak into my particular situation, and I realize God is giving me help and guidance.
As I’ve focused and acted on God’s Word, I’ve seen good and godly results and solutions in my life. This daily practice of spending time in the Bible has helped me learn to sense the Holy Spirit’s leading as He illuminates Scriptures in my heart. As I’ve pondered God’s Word day after day, my knowledge of His truth has grown. And as I respond to the truth with faith in my Lord Jesus Christ, my walk with Him grows stronger. • Charity M. Kiregyera
• Have you ever experienced a time when something from the Bible helped you in your own life?
• Do you have any habits for reading the Bible? Do you find these habits helpful, or would you like to try something new?
• While it’s important to spend time alone with God, it’s also important to be in community with fellow believers. Who are trusted Christians in your life you can talk to about the Bible?
Train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 (CSB)
Read Verses:
Ps.13|Ps.63.6-Ps.63.8
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