How can you Intentionally Deepen your Spiritual Life in 2025?
My fertility journey uncovered a major weakness in my spiritual life—I had personal and professional goals every year but no intentional plan to deepen my spiritual time and grow in friendship with Jesus. Sound familiar?
Initially, in my one-sided conversations with Him pleading for children, I had not recognized that Jesus wanted all of me: not just in crisis, but as a regular priority. As I studied the Bible for the first time, it became clear that He was the source of all the answers to my future. I wanted to build more intimate time with Him.
It’s easy to have aspirations for spiritual growth only to have them fade into the busyness of life unless they are specific, written down, given measurable time frames and are achievable.
Have you ever mapped out a path for deepening your spiritual life with the Lord? A new year is an excellent opportunity to write down a plan. Let’s chat about it.
Growing in your spiritual life doesn’t just happen
While faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9), scheduling committed time with Him will result in you slowing down, making space to commune with Him and surrender to His will. Then, He can transform you into following His way of peace in your spiritual life.
Try developing a Rule of Life which is a spiritual discipline which will help you grow to embrace a lifestyle like Jesus. This involves selecting practices/rhythms that fit your personality type and the season you are in, writing them down, and scheduling when you are committed to making them happen.
How to begin
- Take a look at these disciplines offered by John Mark Comer, teacher, writer, and founder of Practicing The Way. Are there some you are already doing to grow in your spiritual life? You do not need to feel like you have to do everything. Your spiritual formation is a lifelong process.
***Sabbath—Resting in God one full day a week, delighting in and worshiping the God who made you to be with Himself.
As Comer shares: “It’s a day to cultivate joy in a world of sadness…to keep our hearts alive to the beauty of God and life with Him in His world.”
***Quiet solitude—described as the most foundational of all the practices of Jesus. With the noise of this world hushed, quiet allows space for the peace and presence of God. What does He have to say as you take time to be still?
“Without solitude, it is virtually impossible to have a spiritual life."
Christian minister/author Henri J. M. Nouwen
***Daily prayer and reading the Bible—How can we praise Him for who He is and what He does for us? What does the Lord want us to grasp from His words and apply to our challenges? What does He think and feel?
***Fasting—Considered ‘one of the most essential and powerful of all the practices of Jesus,’ we have the opportunity to ‘forgo meals’ and yield our bodies to God and find our sustenance in steadfast prayer.
***Community—When we come together on Sunday and worship collectively as the family of God, we praise Him, repent our sins, receive spiritual direction and prayer.
And work with God in these disciplines…
***Generosity—We participate in the divine outflow of God’s love by using our resources, money, time, and love to uplift and equip those in need.
***Service—Just as Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28), we serve those around us, whether it be the poor, homeless, community, family members or neighbors in need of support.
***Witness—We fulfill Jesus’ command: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16:15) We practice hospitality and extend the love, welcome, and warmth of Jesus.
The next step is to identify what you can do.
2. From the disciplines above, select what is reasonable to include in your schedule—less is more. Over time, you can add new disciplines as you feel confident about engaging with God in your new practices. Comer suggests that you begin some “tiny habits” that may be 10-15 minutes a day.
3. Lastly, write down your goal for how often you plan to practice selected disciplines—daily, weekly, monthly, or seasonally. Then, enjoy slowly introducing your new Rule of Life drawing close to God and being His disciple. Finally, decide how often to review your progress so that you can adjust your timing.
You can pray now for the God of the Holy Bible to help you plan disciplines for your spiritual life.
I love you, LORD. You are my strength, my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer… I take refuge in You; You are my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2 NIV)
When I call to You in distress, You hear my voice. (Psalm 8:6 NIV) Thank You for always being there for me and uplifting me while I experience the challenges of my fertility journey.
I want to honor You and make you a part of my everyday life. Help me find the best practices to deepen my relationship with You. Guide me in establishing realistic goals. I want to remain in You and bear Your fruit. (John 15:5 NIV)
It’s an honor to serve You and be Your hands and feet as I minister to others. Allow me to grow in Spirit and reflect Your love. I surrender my days to You for Your purposes and glory. I ask all this in the name of Jesus.
Moving forward…
Ask yourself this:
Which elements of the Rule of Life can best be incorporated into my life now? What are the most realistic time frames for implementing a new discipline?
Consider this challenge:
Create a page in your journal or notebook for writing down the disciplines that best fit your personality type. Once you decide on realistic time frames (daily, weekly, monthly/seasonally), enjoy reviewing how you fulfill your goals—possibly once a month. Be gentle with your new schedule and adjust your time frames as necessary. Remember, less is more.
Review some of these past posts from InfertilityPrayerResource.com for tips on faith building practices:
- Reading the Bible
- Steps to Intimate Foundations of Prayer
- Personalizing the Scriptures
- Locating a Powerhouse of Encouragement
- Using God’s “Go-To” Prayer Book
- Finding Your Ultimate Prayer Partner
- Having Daily Devotion Time
- Using The Examen
Please share this post with someone who might benefit.
Peace be with you,
Kimberly