The New Testament teaches that as believers in Christ, we are given a living hope. (1 Peter 1:3) Unfortunately, for many, that living hope is nothing more than a small spark buried deep within. That spark can be fanned into flame as we encounter and endure the trials life brings our way. But how we respond to those trials determines how brightly the flame burns. There are some specific things I did that helped me during my personal struggles. I believe they can help you too.
One of those things was daily rituals of prayer and Bible study. For those of us who are evangelicals, especially us Baptists, rituals tend to be something we avoid or are, at best, skeptical about. It’s easy for rituals to become empty habits with no real power to change our lives. At the same time, there is no denying the use of ritual practices found in scripture. There is a power found in purposeful habits, and I learned first-hand how important the disciplines of the Christian life are. As I began my day reciting the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23, I marveled at how quickly the flame of hope within began to burn more brightly.
Scripture memorization and prayer journaling also worked wonders in my life. I wrote specific prayers, prayed them daily, and reread what I had written over a period of time. I was amazed to discover how many prayers God answered. You’d think we’d know when God answers our prayers, but so often, we don’t.
Back to the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23. If all you do is recite these two passages every morning, you will be amazed at what God will do. I’ve been a pastor long enough to know that all too many Christians don’t take the time to pray. (For that matter, I’ve been a pastor long enough to know that all too many pastors don’t pray as we should!) If you struggle with prayer, try simply reciting these two famous passages from the Bible.
Some of you reading, remember how often I encouraged our members at Seoul International Baptist Church to engage in this practice. It is life-changing. Not long before I retired, one of our members shared what a powerful impact this practice had made on his life. In particular, his struggles with anger and lust, which he had battled for years, subsided, leaving a sense of God’s presence and peace like he’d never experienced before.
The practice of these daily rituals in my life fanned the flame of hope and gave me faith for the future. The rituals didn’t earn me God’s grace; they placed me in a position to receive that grace. Through practices like these, we are exercising our faith and opening our spirits to receive the wind of God’s Spirit as He reignites the bright light of hope within.
I’ll conclude this story on Monday.
In Christ,
Dan