Spiritual Practices

Let's move from studying to abiding.

The 5-Minute Echo

  • Take one phrase from Scripture tomorrow—perhaps "The Lord is my Shepherd"—and let it "echo" in your mind every time you check your phone. Don't just think about the words; listen for the Voice behind them.

The "Yielded" Ear

  • In moments of stress, stop and ask: "Lord, what is Your Word for this situation?" Then, wait. Redemption is often found in the quiet nudge to forgive, to be patient, or to trust.

Watch Your Own Words

  • If we are being redeemed by God’s Word, our words should start to sound like His. Are your words creating life or chaos in your home?

How do we move from "hearing" to "living under the rule"? 

  • Audit Your Submission: This week, identify one area of your life (finances, a relationship, a secret habit) where you have been acting as your own "commander."

Intentionally "step under" Christ’s authority in that area by saying, "Lord, what is your command here?"

  • Pray with "Centurion Faith": When you pray for others, don't just hope for the best. Remember the Centurion.

Ask the Lord to "Say the word" over that situation. Acknowledge that His word is sufficient to change the molecular structure of a problem.

  • Practice Ruminating on the Word: To hear God's specific voice, we must be saturated in His written Word.
  • Spend 10 minutes sitting with Matthew 8. Don't just read it, stand under it.

Take an Input Audit

  • For one day, track what enters your mind.
  • How many hours of video?
  • How much time on social media?
  • Contrast that with how many minutes of Scripture or wisdom.

Read a Book

  • Dedicate 15 minutes a day—not to "feeling" reading, but to "thinking" reading.
  • Read a chapter of a book that challenges you intellectually.
  • Pray: Lord, expand my capacity to understand you.

Prayer of Attention

  • Before you open your Bible or a book, pause and pray this: "Lord, I am quieting my mind. I am engaging my intellect. Speak to me through Your Truth.”

Create a space to go meet with God (Prayer Closet)

The "Open Seat" Meditation

  • Sit quietly. Instead of asking God for information, simply offer Him your attention.
  • Imagine God is sitting in the chair across from you.
  • Don't focus on "hearing" a sound. Focus on the fact that you are known.
  • Say: "Lord, I am here. You are here. That is enough for now."

The Practice of "Right Motive"

Willard points out that many people want to hear God's voice as if it were a GPS—just to avoid making mistakes or to get a "successful" outcome.

  • The Exercise: Before you pray for guidance, spend 5 minutes in silence asking yourself: "Am I seeking God's voice just to get what I want, or do I actually want to be the kind of person who is in constant conversation with Him?”
  • The Goal: Shift your motive from utility (using God for answers) to friendship (loving God for who He is).

The Threshold Prayer (5 Minutes)

Begin your day by acknowledging the three levels of presence Willard mentions. Find a quiet space and pray through these layers:
  • Acknowledge Sustaining Presence: "God, you are holding my molecules together and keeping the world in orbit right now. I acknowledge you are the ground of my being."
  • Invite Manifest Presence: "Lord, I am often blind to you. Please make your presence felt to my mind and heart today."
  • Commit to Collaborative Presence: "I am your co-laborer. Whatever I do today—emails, chores, meetings—I intend to do with you."

The "Red Light" Presence Check

  • Choose a recurring trigger in your day (a red light while driving, a notification on your phone, or waiting for the kettle to boil).
  • When the trigger happens, ask yourself: "Am I acting as if I am alone right now?"