Self-Feeding

One of the biggest joys in a parents life is when your child can feed himself in the morning. There is nothing better than when they can get cereal and feed themselves while you sleep in or simply enjoy your cup of coffee on a Saturday. Okay, so I'm a bad parent, but we all have our flaws.

In our spiritual life, self-feeding is so important. We can't depend on other people to constantly give us the word of God. We have to be able to study and apply it for ourselves. So, today I want to give you three things that can help you on this path.

1) Make Time. The only resource everyone in the world has an equal amount of is time. We all have 24 hours in a day. We all have seven days in a week. If you want to begin the process of self-feeding, set aside time to spend studying God's Word. Start small and build. If you carve out ten minutes a day to read scripture and reflect on what you read, you will find that your desire for more time with God will grow and you will dedicate more time.

2) Reflect. We live in a noisy society. There is always something grabbing our attention. My Blackberry has gone off twice since I have been writing. The urge is to always check it no matter what. Sometimes, we need to learn to live in the silence. But in order to really grasp the word of God in your heart, spend a moment and reflect on what you have read. Ask three questions: what does it say, what does it mean, how does it apply to me. When we reflect on God's Word it takes on a new level of insight.

3) Write. Take a moment and write down one or two key thoughts that will help you to understand scripture better. This way it is not just some old mystical words, but it is an active part of your spiritual development.

This week, make time to study God's Word, reflect on what it says to you, and write down what you are learning. These basic principles will help you to begin to feed yourself on the riches of scripture.