The Hunt for the "Perfect" Devotional Resource

 

Trust me, I know and appreciate the appeal of a well-constructed devotional resource. I've already spent time on this blog discussing the merits of my favorite one. I've also spent a great deal of time constructing little devotional liturgies - sets of readings, prayers, and hymns (three things that are not mutually exclusive) for my personal use in day-to-day life. I've found the process of assembling these devotionals very engaging and fulfilling.

But I found that I would get into a loop of putting together what I was convinced would be the one set of prayers to rule them all, use it for maybe a day, then forget about it for a week until I spent an hour or two putting together the next one. I realized a little then, and am seeing more now, that the devil was using an incredibly sly trick: let me feel like I am spending time in God's Word, give a boost to my self-righteousness, but rarely actually turn to that Word that I spent so long preparing to use. 

I was (and often am) the boy who spends hours admiring a new toy sword without actually picking it up, or the boy who spends hours researching a life-changing methodology without taking more than a lazy step toward pursuing it. As opposed to being the man who would learn to swing the sword and actually take action to change his life.

All that to say, I'm giving up the hunt for the "perfect" devotional resource, a decision I know I will need to remind myself of sooner rather than later. This hunt can become an idol that stands in the way of the God that the resource is written to glorify. Instead, I will rejoice at the many and excellent resources I already have, and most importantly, I will use them. 

It's on my mind because I just assembled a new one last night, a blend of really beautiful and comforting texts to nourish the soul day in and day out, alternating between song and spoken word. The thing is, I know that within the week, I will find a flaw in it or think of some other text I would rather spend time meditating on. And instead of meditating on that other text, or continuing to use this one, I will be tempted to spend another couple hours crafting another "perfect" prayer liturgy... and the process repeats.

God's gifts are much too precious to spend time sifting through them with face averted like a picky child at the dinner table. We, like Martha of old, are stunningly good at doing anything and everything but hear the Word of God and pray. But the distractions of the world are not the daily bread of the watchmen on the heights.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14