SPINNING MY GEARS: Discerning God's Direction (Part 1): Developing an Appetite for the Word

      As a new year begins, many adjust to writing a new date on their checks. A question frequently arises during this season concerning how Christians can discover and pursue God’s will for their lives. We set out on our newest adventure along the 12-month calendar by setting goals and discussing our dreams and ambitions. Those who are spiritually maturing set goals about deepening their walk with God and becoming more effective laborers for His glory. These questions are at the heart of what gets my gears going. They long for a practical response. Reassuringly, such an answer is available for us.

      First, we must understand that growing closer to God is not an issue of checking off a simple to-do list. Instead, it is embarking on a personal journey that intertwines with the fabric of our life’s circumstances. Recognizing spiritual growth as a personal journey makes measuring progress, effectiveness and success challenging. I wish a simple metric were available to gauge our spiritual health, but it’s complex. Multiple variables need to be considered all at once. We are familiar with dashboards, whether we realize it or not. When we get into our car in the morning, a slew of dials and lights greet us to help monitor and control our vehicle’s performance. That instrument cluster is a type of dashboard. To answer how a person may deepen their walk with God in 2024, we need to reorient what measurements will help us grow this year.

         Our first metric concerns developing a greater appetite for the Word. The Bible is the means through which God communicates to us. No special revelation outside of the Bible is an authority for our lives. I think of measuring our appetite for the Word like watching the RPM gauge on my car. If we want to go anywhere, our car’s RPMs cannot be 0 (that means the car is off). To grow closer to God, we must be faithful in allowing Him to speak to us.

      Additionally, the RPM gauge can indicate undue stress on a vehicle. When this happens in a car, the engine works hard for disproportionately little outcome. If we let our RPMs enter the red zone and stay there, we would expect some mechanical disaster. In the same way, by allowing our consumption of Scripture to increase without practical application, we anticipate an eventual burnout of discouragement.

      Since our appetite for the Word closely resembles how the RPM dial is used in a car, let’s use the same acronym to elaborate on three steps that help us accomplish our first goal. Instead of rotations per minute, let’s think about reading, praying and memorizing.

      • Reading the Word is not just the result of a healthy appetite but also a means to obtain a healthy one. The first several sections of Psalm 119 have consistently encouraged me during my pilgrimage with God. The psalmist has passion and pleasure in nothing more than the Word. Before one can say the Lord’s testimonies are their delight and counselor, they must petition God to open their eyes to the wondrous things in God’s Law. Simply making the time and effort to enjoy reading the Bible is a practical step toward increasing our appetite for the Word.

      • Praying the Wordis a powerful spiritual discipline at the Christian’s disposal to nurture their desire for Scripture. Previously alluding to Psalm 119:18, it is worth noting that this is the first prayer I make when I get up in the morning and begin my Bible study. Nevertheless, countless Scriptures guide me throughout a typical day. Why is praying the Word necessary instead of simply praying spontaneously from the heart? Both types of prayers are beneficial to our relationship with God. Praying the Word specifically is imbued with the assurance of God’s will as it has been revealed in His perfect Word. Spending time praying God’s Word back to Him reshapes our thoughts and attitudes as we yearn to digest increasingly more of the Word.

      • Memorizing the Word is the most neglected practice among adults. Regardless of the children’s and youth discipleship ministries in our churches, ministries like Sunbeams, Girls’ Missionary Auxiliary (GMA) and Galileans direct students to memorize Scripture. For some reason, adults frequently neglect Scripture memorization. Recently, I was challenged by a fellow laborer for the Lord to memorize the entire book of I Thessalonians for its practical direction for ministries. Taking the challenge in hand, the blessing of storing this book in my heart is astonishing. My interest and enthusiasm for the Word is piqued and vibrant. My compassion and eagerness to serve my congregation is renewed. My desire for obedience in my life has increased tremendously. I urge readers to incorporate memorization into their Word-related disciplines.

JUST THINKING: Trusting God in the Seasons of Life HEALTHY CHURCH: Five Laws of Spiritual Leadership