Author: John O'Malley

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Application–I do not know how to apply Scripture to my life.

Last month, we began looking at Bible study methods to aid you in overcoming the Obstacle of Application. To review the EXAMINE method, click here. This month, we will look at two more methods to help overcome this obstacle: the PRAY method and the Your Best Devotions Ever method.

Like the EXAMINE Bible study method, the PRAY Bible study method is an acrostic. This Bible study method is simple to complete. It places focus on a short passage. This method engages both the mind and heart to find the application of a passage as you examine what is there. I developed this method to help me. I hope it helps you.

Choose one short passage or a specific verse in which you want to discover its application. I find it difficult to do very many verses. I like to find the paragraph beginning and ending and narrow it down to the verse which I would like to discover its application.

P – Pray. I know it seems obvious to say, but pray!

• Ask the Author of the greatest Book of all time to help you discover what He has for you.
• Ask Him for wisdom to understand what is preserved for you in His Word.
• Ask Him for knowledge to learn what He placed in His Word for you.
• Ask Him for His power to discern what He inspired men to write.
• Ask Him for His lesson for you from this passage.

R – Read the passage or verse.

• Read silently five times.
• 
Read deliberately and pause at every punctuation mark.
• Read the passage or verse aloud at least once.
• Read it to hear it. If you prefer, use an audio Bible to listen to that verse being read.

A – Ask yourself these questions:

• Who: Who is doing the speaking? Or to whom is the verse addressed?
• What: What precept, principle, promise, or practice is being expressed?
• When: When is the action in this verse to be taken? Is there a condition or context mentioned?
• Where: Are there places mentioned? Make note of what else happened in the same place in Scripture.
• Why: Why did the subject of the passage or verse need to hear the message delivered? Why do you need to know what is here?
• How: If this was the only thing you ever read in the Bible, how would you change your life because of its message?

Y – Yield yourself to Him.

• Are you submitted to obey His Word? All of it? Every word of it?
• Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction in this passage?
• How does this passage call you to draw closer to Him because you read it?

Lastly, you may find the Your Best Devotions Ever Bible Study Method helpful.

Your Best Devotions Ever Bible study method uses five prompts to help you have the Best Devotions Ever. While the title is ambitious, once you do it a few times, you will see how helpful it is. I began using this method when I was a very young. My father gave me the essence of it. I have modified it over the last forty years. I gave the method a name, but at its core, it is unchanged.

You can use index cards or an index card app. You also could add notes to your digital Bible app or your digital journal app. I encourage you to review the index card at least four times in twenty-four hours. Save your cards as you will enjoy them for years to come.

5 Steps to Your Best Devotions Ever
Passage Read:
Date:

• Write a simple, deep, or catchy title for this passage.
• What is the best phrase or verse that supports your choice for a title?
• What verse challenges you the most?
• Write out a one-sentence prayer that requests God’s help for the above challenge.
• What can you do today that will show you have applied this passage to your life?

While I can show you steps to take and methods to follow, you will need to develop your own set of skills. Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Take your time. If it takes you two days to fill out one of the methods, it is fine. Get a win for yourself by completing one method. Try doing one method for a week. Then try one of the other two methods in this section, which are designed to assist with Bible application, for a week. You will gravitate to one more than another.

My goal is to give you the tools to overcome the Obstacle of Application. When you get stuck, review the three Bible study methods to assist with applying Scripture.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Application–I do not know how to apply Scripture to my life.

I know what it is like to struggle with applying Scripture. You begin to feel inadequate and eventually want to stop reading your Bible. You are not alone. I am right there with you; I know this struggle.

Applying Scripture to your life is what brings the Word of God to life. It takes you from drifting and wondering to life engaged with the Bible. I love when I get the sense of the verse and can relate it to someone else. I tend to preach and write as I understand a verse or passage of Scripture.

You can learn to apply any passage to your life with three Bible study methods I personally use in my life. Each of the three methods is designed to take you from personal frustration with your Bible reading to a place where applying the Bible comes naturally. I want you to learn to inspect a passage and determine what God is saying to you. First, we will look at the EXAMINE study method to help you with applying the truth of God’s Word to your life. The EXAMINE Bible study method is what I use when I struggle with applying what I read in the Bible. The word EXAMINE is an acrostic.

This Bible study method is simple and engages both my mind and heart to find the application of a passage as I examine what is there. I developed this method to help me. I hope it helps you. The EXAMINE Bible Study method helps us cut a straight road (the Biblical words–“rightly divide”) through the passage. We do not want to get side-tracked with other things until we figure out what does this passage or verse mean and then how does it apply to me?

To examine something means check every detail of something in order to gain some information. This method is more for verse studies than it is for chapter studies. You may not have an answer for every point of this method. The first time may be hard for you but push through. If you would like help, email or call me, and I will help you through it.

E – Evaluate the context of the verse. Look at the verse in relation to its surrounding verses. What is being said in the five verses before and after? How does the context prepare or conclude the way for the verse you are studying? The sentence you write should start with “The verses before and after are teaching _________.”

X – X-Ray the contents of this passage or verse. Look intensely at the structure of the verse. (Structure means the phrases, clauses, and marks of punctuation. Does the verse have questions? Commands? Principles? Precepts? Promises?) Look at every clause and phrase marked with its punctuation. What do the words mean in their usual definition? What do this passage or verse’s meanings say to you? The sentence you write should start with “The structure of this verse contains _________.”

A – Analyze the passage or verse for any commandments. Look for any command to obey. A commandment is something we are to do. Look for words like say, do, go, be, or must. Ask yourself, “What should I do as a result of reading this passage or verse?” The sentence you write should start with “I will follow God’s command to _________.”

M – Meditate on the comforts of this passage or verse. List the comforts of this passage or verse. A comfort is something that touches your spirit. It is the emotion tied to the truth presented. What comforts do you find in this passage or verse? The sentence you write should start with “God comforts His children with _________.”

I – Investigate the cause of this passage or verse. Why would God choose to include all of the words in this passage or verse in the Bible? What did someone do or miss in their life that prompted the Holy Spirit to inspire the human author to pen these words? Now, look at your life. Does the same condition apply that prompted the passage or verse to be included in Scripture? The sentence you write should start with “God included this verse to help me to _________.”

N – Note your convictions from this passage or verse. By convictions, I mean list what you believe as a result of studying this passage or verse. What is this passage or verse teaching you to do? The sentence you write should start with “Because this verse is in the Bible, I must _________.“

E – Examine your own comments of this passage or verse. Review all that you have written about this passage and write a summary sentence. The sentence you write should start with “Today, because I have studied this passage or verse, I will _________.”

Next month, I will share the PRAY Method and the Best Devotions Ever method. My prayer is that you will begin 2018 with a renewed zeal for studying and applying the Bible.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Recollection—I wish I could remember my Devotions thirty minutes later. I tried. I failed. It makes me feel the negative emotions of guilt and sadness.

Jesus spoke of the Word of God as a seed being sown by a sower (Luke 8:5-8). The sower goes out to sow seeds. He casts the same seed on different types of soil. The way Jesus explained it, sometimes the seed hits land that is not ready for growth. He spoke of opponents and obstacles to the seed taking root. Jesus speaks of this to illustrate the Word of God going forth and taking hold in the hearts of men.

I do not like the days when I read and forget what I read thirty minutes later. To me, it is like the birds in the parable Jesus told; they come and take the seed of what I read. Then, as if I needed more guilt to carry around, I end up feeling sorry. I let the seed get snatched from my mind. I was not intentional in my thoughts on His Word.

If this happens, I refer to this axiom: read less to remember more.

When I want to remember what I read more than thirty minutes from now, I follow these tips to engage my spiritual senses:

Tip #1: Engage the spiritual sense of sight–the physical Bible or digital Bible you use for Devotions.

Growing up, I remember hearing people speaking about knowing where a verse was on the page. They would make marks in their favorite Bible. Some people like to underline or put a distinctive mark on the passage.
If you are comfortable with doing so, make marks in your Bible with pens or highlighters. Use specific colors for specific things. You could use:

• Purple–when God is mentioned.
• Pink–when women are mentioned.
• Red–when love, mercy, grace, and compassion are mentioned.
• Green–when spiritual growth is mentioned.
• Yellow–when prayer, praise, worship, and heaven are mentioned.
• Blue–when commands and instructions are mentioned.
• Orange–when history is mentioned.
• Grey–when death, sin, hell, and Satan are mentioned.

If you use a digital Bible, you could save your highlights so that they appear in the text. This way of reading your Bible engages your sight which can aid remembering what you read later in the day.

You could also choose, if you are privileged to own more than one Bible, to have a Bible that you use only for reading your Devotions. I prefer a paragraph-based Bible for this type reading if I must use a bound Bible.

Tip #2: Engage the spiritual sense of hearing.

Use an audio Bible:
You could listen to the Bible being read aloud by someone. I know some who holds their Bible open to the passage as the narrator reads it. When you use an audio Bible, it activates three senses: touch, hearing, and sight. Occasionally, I use an audio Bible for my reading to help me connect with His words more. I will also listen to the Bible just for something to listen to while driving, walking, or thinking. I use an audio Bible to help me learn how to pronounce the words. There are excellent recordings of the Bible available. You may have a commute for work and would find this mode of Bible reading helpful.

Reading aloud: You could engage the sense of hearing by reading the Bible aloud. Select your passage and read it aloud. Reading the Bible aloud helps me stay focused like few other things. Yes, it can be weird to do, but it works. Besides, being normal is over-rated! If you are at home when you read, gather your children and read to them. If you and your spouse are alone, read aloud to each other. If you are in a coffee shop, sit outside and read aloud. Engage the sense of hearing when you read to have a memorable reading time.

Tip #3: Engage the spiritual sense of touch.

Your Bible: 
I love the feel of a leather Bible. I love to caress the leather. I like the feel of the Bible’s paper. Holding your Bible while you read engages the sense of touch. It is direct contact with God through His preserved words for you. You are in touch with God. Treat it carefully and respectfully.
You may enjoy taking colored pencils and illuminating your Bible with colors.

Your Bible app: 
The Bible is God’s Word whether it is displayed on a hand-held screen, projected by a projector onto the wall, or on your computer monitor. When you open your Bible app, turn off your notifications if you can and totally engage your mind and hands in the app. You are touching the very words of God. It is not in a museum case or an artifact. It is in your hands; treat it carefully.

Your 3×5 cards: 
I love using 3×5 cards. I enjoy writing ideas, tasks, and thoughts on them. When memorizing Scripture, copy verses onto these cards to help you to meditate, learn, and reflect.

Your notebook:
 I have a personal project I am working on that involves writing with a fountain pen and paper. I practice my handwriting (which needs practice) by copying Scripture from my Bible to paper. This simple act puts me in touch with God’s Word.

Tip #4: Engage the spiritual sense of taste.

Throughout Scripture, God engages the senses through taste. He gave His people manna to taste. He uses the word “taste” figuratively to convey the Word of God is like bread, honey, water, and sweetness. Engaging this sense in Bible reading requires intentional thought. It is taking the words you read and savoring their flavor in your life. Sometimes the Word of God is referred to as bitter taste. Develop taste buds for the Word of God and your taste buds for the world will diminish.

Tip #5: Engage the spiritual sense of smell.

God gave us the sense of smell. Have you considered how important smell is to God? He fills His courts with fragrance. Our praise is a fragrance to Him. Our offerings have a scent to Him. Our sacrifices are a fragrance to Him.

When you read His words, do you catch a fragrance of Him? Your reading of His Word brings you into His presence, and this worship has a fragrance that is pleasant to Him.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Comprehension—I just do not know how to get anything out of my Bible reading.

When it comes to your Bible reading and devotional time, you get to the moment where you will meet God for the day. You open and read your Bible, and suddenly you are seeing a familiar setting (Bible open) with clear markers (books of the Bible, chapters, and verses). However, the moment you start to read the words, you realize you do not understand what is happening in the passage. When you finish reading your assigned Bible reading, you walk away without getting anything out of your time with God’s Word. It is frustrating when this happens, but Bible reading and Devotions do not have to be this way. This scenario is not what the experience is supposed to be for the believer.

When I am in a place of not knowing or getting anything out of my reservation with God, I know it is not Him. I know it is not His Word. So I feel guilty that I am not getting anything out of the Bible. Here I am a preacher, and sometimes even I feel that way.

The tips below to Overcome the Obstacle of Comprehension are what I use when I feel like I am not understanding or getting anything from my time in the Word of God.

Tip #1: Write these statements on a 3×5 card.
Put the card in your Bible or near your devotional book. Copy the words to your reading device and read them aloud before and after your quiet time.

I read the Bible to feel better, not worse.
I read the Bible to grow in grace, not in guilt.
I read the Bible to get to know the Author.
I read the Bible to become who God needs me to be for His glory.
I read the Bible not to impress others.
I read the Bible for God to make an impression on me.

Tip #2: Rest before reading.
The days I feel this way I look at my sleep schedule and consider, did I prepare for my reservation with God this morning by getting proper rest? As kids, our parents would say to us, “Get some rest! Tomorrow is a big day.” For the believer, each tomorrow is a big day. Each day I have a reservation with God. I will meet Him; He will speak to me, and I will talk to Him.

I know for many it is easy to recommend waking up earlier. That is fine if you are a morning person. Sometimes I feel like my “later at night” and my “earlier in the morning” will meet and there will be no more sleep.
You may be in a season of unrest. Your nights are filled with restlessness and thoughts of what might be coming next in your life. God works third shift. He never sleeps.

There have been many nights when I prayed the following based on thoughts of Psalm 127:
Dear Lord,
Your Word tells me you give Your children sleep. I know I am Your child. Please help my mind and body to get in sync to get some sleep. Will You please grant me sleep?
Until sleep comes, lay upon my heart someone for whom I should be praying right now.
Lord, if You chose to awake me at this hour to have me listen to You from Your Word, please speak to my heart.
Help me to have the strength I need for tomorrow.
Amen.

Tip #3: Remove distractions before reading.
My preferred way to read is to have headphones on with either ocean sounds or Baroque period music playing, or instrumental only music. I do not listen to music with words during this time. The music is softly playing.
Secure a space that will allow you a moment of privacy. I know many young mothers who retreat to private areas in the home to do their Bible reading. Seek your spouse’s help to give you the haven you need to have this Quiet Time with God.

Enlist your spouse to help you find a quiet place. Ask them to assist you with what distracts you while you read. Then return the favor to them. Meet God with as few interferences as possible. After all, you have a meeting with the King of kings. Remove anything that is a distraction so you can focus on Him.

Tip #4: Reduce the quantity of verses you are reading.
I know this sounds unusual coming from a preacher. Allow me to explain. If you are in a season of your life where you are not understanding or getting anything out of your time with God and His Word, maybe you are trying to read too much. Instead of trying the marathon (reading the Bible through every six months), try reading from the Psalms each day.

For a two-year period of my life, I read just the book of Psalms for my devotions. Every month or so, I would read it through. I would read and try to imagine what the Psalmist was going through as I read. I slowed down my reading and got more from it. If it takes you five years to read through the Bible, you are not less of a Christian. Read it at a pace that you can comprehend it and receive something from it.

Tip #5: Reset your expectations.
What are the expectations you have when you read the Bible? Perhaps I can help reset them for you. When you read the Bible, you should expect at least one of these things to occur. Copy these five expectations to a notecard, put it in your Bible or on your reading device. Read them aloud before you read the Bible each day.

God will have something for me that day in His Word. I will look for it.
God will teach me a precept, a principle, or a promise. I will look for them.
God will help me discern a solution to a problem I am pondering. I will look for that solution.
God will strengthen my faith in Him. I will trust Him as a result of what I read today.
God will renew my courage to walk on with Him. I will walk today in the light of what I read.
God will convince me of how dearly I am loved. I will meditate on His love for me and the security of His love.

I encourage you to make your own list of expectations of God. Think about the things that you love to look for about God’s character and nature.

Tip #6: Read with a companion.
I would encourage you to have a companion with whom you can seek clarification or get the sense of something. If you do not understand something, how will you learn unless you ask? Do not be afraid to seek help. This companion might be:

• A trusted friend–identify someone with whom you are comfortable being spiritually vulnerable. Contact them. Tell them, “I need someone I can call when I am stuck understanding a passage. Will you be my devotional companion?”
• A spiritual adviser–your pastor, Sunday School teacher, or a deacon at church may help you as you seek clarification.
• A printed Bible reference companion book–a book that helps you understand passages in bite-sized pieces.
• A devotional commentary–a trusted author who gives the sense of the passage and teaches a principle or precept from the passage.

Tip #7: Reflect on your daily reading.
Reading without reflection causes me frustration later in the day. Reflection is pondering the words you read and then looking deeply into your soul and spirit. The time for reflection is the time when you give unrestricted access to God to adjust and remove the elements brought to light from your reading as you reflect on His Word and while the Holy Spirit works on your heart. As you first begin, give yourself thirty seconds for reflection. Work your way up to several minutes for reflecting. I think of it as a time to acknowledge what I read, appreciate what I read, and ask God to change me based on what I read.

Tip #8: Revise your reading plan.
I would not recommend the same Bible reading schedule for every season in your life. I sometimes read a plan of ten chapters a day from random books. Other times I read a plan of themes I can choose within my Bible software on my portable devices and computer. There are times I read a devotional book and its assigned reading. Try different plans of Bible reading; the variety will engage your senses and heart.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Time: I want to read the Bible, but I just do not have enough time in my day to have memorable or meaningful Devotions.

The more I speak to others about their time alone with God, the more I learn I am not alone. Many of us struggle with making time for God; we tell ourselves we do not have enough time. We make excuses. We justify why we have not done it. We give our time to the right things and necessary things; we surrender to our schedules and obligations. We often cannot find a way to fit God into our day. We hate it, but it is the reality of most days.

We cannot add time to our lives. We have what is the time allotted for this vapor of a life. We use phrases like, “I need to make the time. I wish I had the time; I did not spend my time on this; or time is not my friend today.” However, we know all of them are expressions spoken out of frustration.

When we say we do not have enough time in the day to have a Quiet Time with God, how much time should we reserve for Him? The often thought yet unspoken sentiments say, “How much time is ‘enough’ to say I did my Devotions? How long do I need to give Him? How much time should we plan on spending with God for a meaningful experience?” We will say to justify our heart’s emotion, “I have things I have to do. I do not have a lot of time just to sit still. I have kids, tasks, appointments, and obligations that are calling me.”

How is it that we willingly schedule appointments in our lives for everything that meets an emotional need in our lives? We schedule time for work because we trade our life’s hours for dollars. We schedule time for play because we sell our time for momentary happiness. We plan time for the academic institutions in our lives because we exchange time for academic credentials. We plan time for the church because we are willing to trade our time for fellowship and ministry.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 63, he sought God early in the day. He pointed to the human condition of hungering and thirsting to be with God. He speaks of how his vision, praise, and memories are affected when he spends time with God. He spoke of how his rest was directly related to his spending time with God.

When we do not spend time with God, we deplete ourselves. We deplete our peace, joy, and strength. When limiting our access to time with God, we tend to lean on our own understanding; we are filled with doubts, and we consult our own heart instead of the mind of God (Proverbs 3:5-6).

When it comes to our personal time with God, we allow other things to intercept our time. We feel sorry for it, yet it happens. We want to do better with it, but we still let it happen. Why? I believe it is not about wishing, wanting, having, or making more time. It is about making a reservation in your day to meet God.

Making a reservation to meet God is about assigning a specific time to your day. It is about saying no to everything that cries out for your day. It is about saying God is the most important relationship in your life and treating Him as such. Scheduling time with God is not on His schedule. It is about your schedule. If you are going to have a meaningful time with God you must:

1. Determine your best time of day–a time when you are not distracted by the day. The Psalmist David said he sought the Lord early in the day. You know your schedule and your best time.
2. Make an appointment with God–a time not shared with anything or anyone else. Consider the appointment as exclusive access to the Creator of the universe.
3. Reserve time for reflection–a time where you process and assimilate what you read. It is not enough to accomplish a chapter reading or time spent reading without reflection. Reflection implies there is a certain glow or image that the Word of God casts on us. If I do not take time for reflection on my reading, I am just checking off a box on my things to do list.
4. Reserve time to listen–the Bible is God’s letter to us. Read to hear the voice of the Author. Learn to understand the tone of His voice. Learn to listen to the message of the words. Jesus said that His sheep know, hear, and follow His voice. Your time with the Lord is about listening. God’s Word is the answer to every human need. Read not to accomplish book or chapter count. Read and listen.
5. Reserve time to speak with Him–at the end of your reservation with Him, share with Him your heart’s difficulties and desires. He calls us to come to Him when we are weak; He urges us to pour out our hearts to Him.

Right now, look at tomorrow’s schedule. What is more important than meeting God? Now, make a reservation with yourself to have time alone with God. Yes, a reservation.

How much time will you need? Schedule ten minutes where you will shut the world out and sit with God and listen to Him. You may have to go outside. You may need to sit in your car. You may need to close a door. Do what it takes to make a reservation to meet Him.

1. Read one passage of Scripture. Start with a Psalm; look for His reflection in that passage.
2. As you read the verses, remember you may need to read it several times to hear His voice and get a sense of the message of His words.
3. Pause in prayerful reflection and say, “God, this is what I hear in your passage. Is there more you want me to see, learn, or know?”

Reserving ten minutes with God will change your day, your heart, and your outlook. Then in the following weeks, as you are comfortable doing so, increase the time you reserve with Him to fifteen minutes each day. There is not a Biblical standard for minutes spent with Him. I am suggesting a ten-minute reservation with God to get you started.

You will not want to miss what He has planned for you tomorrow in His Word. It will change your life.
Meet Him early. Meet Him often. Meet Him regularly. There is no substitute with your daily reservation with God.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of Comparison

I feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or guilty when I hear others speak of a beautiful time of Devotions and I compare my Devotions to theirs.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, guilty, or inadequate about your devotional life? You know the feeling.

You look at these picture perfect people with a mystical aura about them. You see their Instagram accounts and wonder why your Devotions do not have their glamour. Their social media accounts have photos with the perfect compositions. They place their coffee cup just right, a pen is near their notebook and set at the perfect angle. Their Bible is open to the right passage and marked with the appropriate highlighter. They have a hashtag that is perfect. They choose the perfect photo filter to make it look spiritual.

You look up from your screen and glance around your home. You see the ever-growing-and-always-insurmountable Mount Laundry on the couch. You see a pile of dishes that are unwashed from yesterday’s lunch. You look at your child and realize he or she did not change their clothes from yesterday; then again, neither did you. You look again at your friend’s social media account and then look at your life. You feel guilty and overwhelmed. You feel like quitting because you can never match up to their picture-perfect devotional life.

Perhaps your life is similar to the one described above. Maybe you know it too well. You see the social media accounts of these picture-perfect people and wonder where do they live? Do they live in a spiritual bubble while you are stuck in a spiritual desert?

When it comes to your devotional life, you wonder…
…am I the only one who struggles with my devotional life?
…am I the only one who feels my entire prayer life is the time spent asking God to bless my bowl of Fruit Loops at breakfast?
…am I the only one who reads the inspirational quotes on Instagram and calls it devotions?

Here are some tips to help you overcome the obstacles of guilt, inadequacy, and feeling overwhelmed by the quality of your Devotions.

Tip #1: Release yourself.

You must not trap yourself when viewing devotional posts on social media, nor when hearing people speak of their spiritual lives in a way that makes you feel guilty. The posts you see, including the inspirational quotes, capture a planned moment, not a perfect life. The way you imagine the picture of someone else’s life from what they portray is unfair to you both. Life is messy–even for the believer.

The perfect people you see in a photo are not really perfect. Your fellow humans are as troubled as you are in your life. They have family problems mixed with financial problems. They have relationship issues and real struggles. We hurt ourselves when we compare ourselves to others without taking this into account.

Look at this passage:
“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

There is a danger when we compare ourselves to each other. When you look at someone’s photos and quotes, you are setting the expectation and creating your guilt, inadequacy, and sense of being overwhelmed. These unrealistic expectations get us out of balance, and we end up binding ourselves to unrealistic standards.

Tip #2: Remind yourself.

When next you begin to evaluate and compare yourself to someone, remind yourself of your worth to God (1 Corinthians 6:20). Tell yourself He paid far too high a price for you to create your storm of inadequacy, which leaves you overwhelmed. Your worth to God is unparalleled and priceless. God valued your worth to Him at such a high price that the only equivalent value was the death of His Son, Jesus. He gave His Son so that you could have fellowship with Him (John 3:16).

Remind yourself of your worth to God in the roles you have in life. You have a role as a wife, husband, and/or child of your parents. No matter your role, your value to Him is unsurpassed. Your worth to God as a woman is far above rubies (Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 31:10). Your worth to God as a husband is so great that He entrusted you to guard and guide those within your care (Ephesians 5:23-25). Your worth as a teen (1 Samuel 16:11-12; Esther 2:7-11; 4:14) is not how you see yourself, or even as others see you; it is how He sees you.

Tip #3: Reset yourself.

When feeling the sense of inadequacy about yourself, when feeling guilt about your walk with God, when feeling overwhelmed because everyone but you seems to have a perfect life, stop it! Be realistic and reset your expectations from the Word of God.

We reset our phones, our computers, and our cars. We also need to do this with our lives, and at times with our relationships and responsibilities. We must do this often with our thinking.
The only way I know to reset myself is time spent in the Word of God. I have to get back to the Bible and read it to reset my expectations about my walk with God, my prayer time, and my daily reading.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 42:5:
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”

The Psalmist made it clear: there is no valid reason to have noisiness (disquiet) in our souls. When our minds manufacture the noisiness of guilt, inadequacy, and the feeling of being overwhelmed, we must reset our thoughts with this thought, “I must hope in God and His presence (countenance).” No one has ever accurately said God failed him or her, and you cannot say God has failed you. Noisiness in the soul is a choice of the mind. Hope is a choice you must make when disquiet invades you.

Reset the expectation of your walk with God.
What does your walk with God mean? It is your journey with the Creator of the Universe on the path of your life. Your stride, your view, and your memories will be different than someone else who reads the same passages you do. Like a parent individually teaches each child, the Holy Spirit impresses each reader in the way they need to hear and learn.

Why then would you compare your Bible journey to someone else’s Bible journey? You will have a different stride, a different view, and a different experience than someone else. You must reset your thinking about comparing your devotional life with anyone else. You must begin to ask, “God, am I meeting Your expectations in my walk with You?”

Reset the expectations about the time you pray.
Pressing the Spiritual Reset Button on prayer helps you determine what level of prayer life you should have. Resist comparison between another’s pride or pity. Neither emotion is an accurate metric to assess whether you pray enough or if you pray as long or just like someone else. Do you recall what occurred in the temple in Luke 18:9-14? The Pharisee and the Publican both prayed to God, but their hearts were different. What is your heart filled with when you pray?

When you choose to press the Spiritual Reset Button, your prayer life changes, ending the childish comparison with others. Prayer is talking to God about what is in your heart and listening to Him speak through His Word. Do not complicate prayer. Do not compare your prayer time with another. Doing so cheapens your intimate conversations with God and diminishes you.

Reset the expectations about your Bible reading.
What does life look like after you press the Spiritual Reset Button? Let your Bible reading be more about what you retain and live out versus how much you read and left out of your life. I recommend you start with quality over quantity. If you are using a devotional book, take the passage for the day and read it. Read it slowly and deliberately. Read it aloud, perhaps even listen to it being read with an audio Bible. Now, read the day’s reading of inspiration or instruction. Did the passage from the Bible or the day’s reading resonate with you? Is there an area of your life you need to make it apply?

If you are prone to comparing your Bible reading and devotional reading time with someone, stop it. It is not healthy for your spiritual life. It will leave you overwhelmed, guilty, and feeling less than adequate.

Tip #4: Fill out a 3×5 card and carry it with you.
Fill out this card as instructed below. Put it in your wallet, save it on your phone or tablet, put it in your purse so you can pull it out and review it when you feel the emotions of inadequacy, guilt, and being overwhelmed when you have reverted to comparisons.

1. Write this statement across the top of the card. Write this verse below it.
Statement: I will not compare myself to others in any area of my life. It is not wise.
Verse: “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

2. Turn the card over and write this statement across the top and this verse below it.
Statement: I will choose hope and praise over the noisiness of my emotions. Any other choice will frustrate me.
Verse: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him For the help of his countenance” (Psalm 42:5).

My goal is to give you a tool to overcome the Obstacle of Comparison. You know the feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and being overwhelmed when you compare yourself to the spirituality of others. When you get stuck, review these four tips.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.

For the next few months, Bro. John O’Malley will be sharing with us from his book, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles. We know that everyone can use some encouragement to stay in the Word of God on a daily basis, and we hope these articles will be a blessing to you in your walk with the Lord.

The Obstacle of History–I seem to miss the meaning of the passage I read. I think it is because I do not understand the background or history of the Bible.

God did not hand us His Word and say, “Here, you figure it out.” God gave us better than a Google/Wikipedia mash-up for the Bible. God gave us a Guide, Teacher, Counselor, and Adviser to go along with His Word. He dwells within the heart of the child of God. You may say, “I know the Holy Spirit lives within me, but I want to ask questions and get answers, immediately.”

Having a Quiet Time with God should not leave you feeling dumb when you cannot get the sense of the passage because you do not know the history or background. The Bible is not intended to make you feel inadequate because you do not have a post-graduate degree in ancient culture, language, and history. It is possible to know the history or background of the Bible.

Consider this, the One who exhaled the Scriptures into those who held a pen for God also sent you the Holy Spirit to teach you. That means you can ask the Resident Guide who lives within you. Each time you read the Bible, you are stepping into a family event. You need someone to whisper in your ear about what has happened before this event and what is going on now in light of past events. If the One, who inspired the Word of God, lives within you, you will always have a Counselor.

Agreeing to the truth that the Holy Spirit lives within you, how do you get the answers from Him? For me, it begins with prayer. Let me tell you what I say. “God, I know there are things here I am not getting. I need your Holy Spirit to teach me this. Please guide me.”

Sometimes, my answer has come shortly after that as I continued to read the verses before it and after it. I have also had my answers come months later when I read the verse again. Other times, I will read a similar thought in another passage and realize that is what the passage I got stuck on meant.

Your premise, when you begin any study of a passage, should be that the Bible is God’s Word and is the answer to every human need; it is inerrant and infallible. Remember, the passage is about real people in a real place with real needs. You know as a fact that there is something in this passage God included for you to know. (The Bible is very personal that way.) God did not put random words in the passage to confuse me. He put it there to help me. I believe God has enabled believers in every generation to explain the sense of a text. (See Nehemiah 8:8).

What should you do to overcome the feeling that you do not understand the background and history of a passage?

1. Pray: “God, I know there are things here I am not understanding. I need your Holy Spirit to teach me this. Please guide me.”
2. Pick a resource: It can be online, digital eBook, or bound.
3. Ask your pastor or Sunday School teacher: “Is there something in the background of this passage that would help me understand this section?”
You can know the background and history of a passage. I refuse to let an obstacle get in the way of me understanding what God wants me to know.

Tip #1: Remember the culture.
Culture is the system of beliefs, values, and ideas of a people in a certain time period. When you read the Bible, there was a definite culture. It is not a Western culture; it is an Eastern culture. The values of Western culture see things from a right and wrong perspective. Eastern culture will often times see things through a prism of what brings shame and what restores honor. When you read the Old Testament, you have to understand that your way of thinking cannot be projected onto their way of thinking. Furthermore, the culture of Heaven and the mind of God far outstrips any of our understanding. God and His Word are transcultural. You will be able to understand what is happening when you enter the cultural mindset of the people about whom you are reading.

Tip #2: Remember the context.
Learn to read the Bible by paragraph not just the numbered verses. This is critical in understanding the verses you are reading. You will become frustrated quickly if you isolate a verse from its context and try to bend it to what you want it to say or not say. If you ignore the context, you will miss the meaning and teaching. Reading the Bible by paragraph helps correct this. Get a good Bible that marks the paragraphs clearly or is printed in paragraphs. I always encourage people to read it grammatically or like they would read a book. If the numbers are getting in the way, get a Bible that does not have them, so that when you read Paul’s letters, they read like real letters!

Tip #3: Remember the conflicts.
The sin nature of man is in conflict with the righteousness of God. You will find man’s will takes him beyond the will and righteousness of God. Many of the accounts in Scripture describe when man’s will dominates and God brings man to a place of correction and contrition. Contrition is a Bible word that gives the sense of being crushed or humbled. God values when our hearts and spirits are contrite. When you read a passage and the culture is so different and the context is not easily grasped, remember that man’s will and desire is selfish. God will correct those who are wrong. He will forgive and restore those who confess their sin. Remember, before you boast that you might be better than another, you are a sinner saved by grace like those in the passage you are studying. Stay close to Him. Keep your heart and spirit contrite.

Tip #4: Remember your Companion.
Just before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples that He would leave them, but He would not leave them comfortless. He would send them a Comforter (John 14:16). One of the Comforter’s tasks is to bring all things to our remembrance. He dwells within us and guides us to truth. When I am stuck on a verse or passage of Scripture, I pray. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me to see or recall what I am not seeing. There have been times I have been stuck on a passage of Scripture for more than a year. Then one day I am reading in another section, and the Holy Spirit brings to mind what I was stuck on and shows me the connection. It is a wonderful thing to have the Holy Spirit turn the lights on in your mind.

My goal is to give you a tool to overcome the Obstacle of History, the feeling like you miss the meaning because you do not understand the background or history of the Bible. When you get stuck, review these four tips.

If these thoughts have been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know. If you’d like to purchase the entire Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles book in PDF, Kindle, or iBooks format, click here.