Are you getting enough nutrition, spiritually?
When we are young believers, we feed on the basics of the Christian faith, and it is often spoon-fed to us. What a blessing it is to have someone who guides our nutritional spiritual intake, to mentor us and grow spiritually alongside us.
As we mature in our faith, it is still important to have someone walk in faith beside us. We, in turn, can also encourage a newer believer in the faith. Spiritually growing necessitates taking in more ‘meaty’ aspects of following Jesus, allowing us to discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
Sometimes these truths can be hard to swallow. We feel the Holy Spirit’s conviction as God transforms our hearts for growing in godliness. Change is often uncomfortable. Sometimes the truths challenge our minds as we understand lessons that are different from what we had always thought to be true.
Learning more about the God we worship and how to live for his glory is nourishing for our souls as we feast our minds and hearts on who he is. The more we know him, the more we want to serve him. As we get to know Jesus through his life on Earth, we get to know the Father. Evidence of our submission to Jesus is demonstrated by the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, including our obedience to God.
One way to feast of God’s Word is having a daily serving of BRAN – Bible Reading Action Notes – as you meditate on a chapter in the Bible. Why not try this while reading through a New Testament letter? Slowly read a chapter one day and then that same chapter a second day, asking the Lord to give you wisdom. On the third day, have a serving of BRAN by recording the following in a journal:
1. a one to two sentence summary of the chapter’s content.
2. one impactful ‘take-away’ you get from the reading of the chapter.
3. one verse that impacts you. Write this verse, its reference, and why it impacts you.
4. one other verse to write as a prayer. Add more to it for your own spiritual growth.
5. one question that you are wondering from the reading.
When you finish reading this book of the Bible, it is meaningful to read again through your BRAN take-aways and prayers, allowing for more ‘digestion’ of the reading.
God’s words never go stale! He will always use it to nourish our souls. This is a feast we can have daily!