10 Top Tips – Daily Devotionals

“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.”

Mother Teresa of Kolkata

1. Identify places and spaces where you can best give attention to God. This may be in your home, in church, when out walking, next to water, in countryside or in town. These places may change as you change and grow, or with different personal circumstances, or with weather!
2. Identify objects or music that help you to focus on God. Find ways of using these items, in your identified prayer space, to enhance your prayer time. Objects may be candles, beads, a holding cross, icons, photographs, incense, the Bible, acorns and craft work (the list is endless).
3. Setting aside a regular time for prayer each day – one that works for you – is helpful. You can find services of morning, evening and night prayer in the book Common Worship. There are on-line and app resources available too, see the list below.
4. Bible notes help us reflect on how Scripture influences Everyday Faith. The bible tells us ‘do not be anxious … ask God for what you need … with a thankful heart’ (Philippians 4:6).
5. You can pray in your own words too. This is an important part of your daily devotional rhythm. God wants to hear about what is important to you.
6. Our prayers will include those of thanksgiving and praise, sorrow and lament, confession and forgiveness. No fancy words, (or even any words at all), are needed for God to understand.
7. Praying for others, world situations and creation, or intercessory prayer, is also a part of our daily devotion.
8. If you crochet, carve, wash the dishes, paint, swim, run or do anything that helps to clear your mind of everyday thoughts, this activity can become meditative. Expect God to meet you there.
9. Contemplative prayer is a way of ‘resting in God’ (Thomas Merton). At times in our daily devotions we need to let go of words and simply be with God. One approach is called ‘Centering Prayer’ (see websites and resources for further information).
10. Following a daily devotional pattern changes us and how we live. Be expectant that God will call you into new ways of living your faith, especially if/when you pray ‘what should I do today?’ and ‘Who are you calling me to be, Lord?’.

Further Steps

There are many other resources available which you can find in books, pamphlets, and on-line in support of your devotional journey. Ask members of your church’s Ministry Team, PCC, and members of your congregation how they approach prayer and what resources they use.

Read

Christian publishers, e.g. Canterbury Press, Wild Goose, SPCK, have books of and on prayer. Search ‘prayers’ on their websites.

Websites

Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/everyday-faith/everyday-prayers

Daily Offices: Morning, evening, and night prayer can be found on the Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer and on the Oremus website: www.oremus.org/cofe.html

Daily Bible Study notes: www.brfonline.org.uk/pages/bible-reading-notes-at-a-glance and www.eden.co.uk/bible-study-notes

Centering Prayer[sic]: Thomas Keeting’s Centering Prayer App – free app from your App Store

Watch

The Archbishop of Canterbury leads the Lord’s Prayer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgN0s2xmCuM

Visit

Christian Bookshops across the Diocese of Lincoln: – Olive Tree near Spilsby, The Well in Scunthorpe, Unicorn Tree Books in St Benedict’s Church Lincoln, or pop into the College of St Hugh’s library & resources centre at Edward King House, Lincoln.

Learn

Teach us to Pray series: Find out about training days to support people in deepening their prayer life with the College of St Hugh Team.
For more information on developing your prayer life, contact: collegeofsthugh@lincoln.anglican.org