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By: Pastor Jared Herd
Go First in your
SPIRITUAL DEPTH
I truly believe that the sign of our spiritual depth is not how much we know, it is how well we love. The measuring stick of faith is not just a well-marked Bible; it is the well-marked hearts of those around us. If this is true, then from the outset, we must not mistake spiritual knowledge with spiritual depth.
Every single one of us is a disciple of someone or something. All three of my boys are currently obsessed with monster trucks and race cars because they have been discipled by advertisements on the Disney Channel. As citizens of an anxious world, we have been discipled to be superficial. The distracted and superficial life leads us to be shallow, consuming empty calories through a healthy diet of news, Netflix, and transient social connections. No wonder our calendars are full but we hunger for so much more.
To escape this matrix, we have to pay attention to what is currently discipling us and decide to sit at the feet of a different master. It is no mistake that Jesus’ followers are called “disciples.” A disciple of Jesus is someone who wants to be deeply formed by Him, instead of by something else. If this is going to happen, we have to live a life by design. We have to Go First in doing what Jesus says: “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
RHYTHMS
In the same way, you are the combination of your biography and backstory, the present form of yourself is the direct result of your past habits.
What if the statement, “Seek first the Kingdom of God,” wasn’t an ethereal command from Jesus? What if it was a practical one about how to begin our day?
I would imagine you have a morning routine. All of us are creatures of habit, and our habits deeply form us. Right now, you probably don’t feel like you have time for anything else in your day, let alone your morning. That may be true, until you realize what hangs in the balance with your morning routine. If you win the morning, you win the day.
Neuroscientists contend that it takes 66 days to form a new neural pathway in your brain. If you sleep in and eat twinkies for 66 days in a row, guess what happens? This is why you are still in recovery from your freshman year of college! You probably feel like a new you, or even a new morning routine, is a million miles away. I would argue, it is only 66 days away. What if you sought first the Kingdom of God for 66 days? Your synapses and serotonin would be pointing your life in a different direction. Perhaps you have no time in the morning... but, be honest... you have time somewhere in your day.
Like you, I often rush through my day feeling as though I don’t have time to be on time, time to call a friend, or time to spend in prayer. However, every week, my computer and my iPhone give me an update on how much time I spent on both. Every Sunday morning, I am humbled to see a percentage breakdown of how much I stared at my phone throughout the week. I always ask myself, “Why did I spend so much time on my phone?” The answer is because I made the time. We make time for whatever we prioritize. Bottom line, there is time somewhere in your day to seek first the Kingdom of God.
GET CURIOUS
GET CURIOUS
RESPOND - 5 MINUTES
Our desire to seek first the Kingdom of God begins when we want out of our shallowness. In all my years of being a pastor, I have never heard anyone diagnose themselves as shallow. I think it’s because it is so common, we don’t recognize it. I don’t believe shallowness is the same thing as stupidity or being naïve; I believe it is a cultural condition that is brought on all of us by a frenetic world. Shallowness’ symptoms include high levels of irrational irritability, loudly complaining before actively listening, entitlement, and so on. We argue over books we haven’t read. We share opinions based on articles we half read. We talk more with our spouse about a celebrity’s dating life than we do about God’s activity in our life.
I recognize shallowness in my own life when I rely heavily on natural gifts of persuasion, but have neglected the inner, spiritual work of deep character. A sign of shallowness in my own life is when I am quick to share my opinion but slow to listen. I have a gift to persuade someone, and at times I enjoy doing it even if I’m persuading them towards something I care very little or know very little about. Shallowness strikes again! I must get curious. In a world that is drowning in shallowness, we must Go First in following Jesus into the deep end.
There is an old Tolstoy quote that says, “Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change themselves.” I think Tolstoy is right, but what if we lowered the bar. What if we just changed our mornings?
I believe depth starts with a plunge into the scriptures five mornings a week. I would challenge you for the next 66 days to consider two habits:
1. Silent prayer
2. Slow reading of scripture
If you decide to do these 15 minutes a day for 66 days, you will be unrecognizable to yourself and to others.
I believe these two practices aren’t just spiritual habits; they are prescriptions for a shallow world. Silent prayer is important because it means intentional prayer. When I talk to most people about their prayers, they happen in crisis or right before they go to sleep. I am not productive in a crisis or right before I go to sleep. I do believe we should pray in a crisis, but I don’t think we should treat speaking to the Creator of the universe like an oxygen mask; rather like the oxygen itself.
Sit. Pause. Breathe in and breathe out. It will center you.
At first, you will notice it is boring. Only in our digital world has boredom become a foreign concept. Second, you will notice how quiet it is. A sign of our shallow world is that silence is the loudest noise we will hear all day. We are desperate for it to end until it yields the first fruits of a calm heart. Tell God who He is. Let Him tell you who you are.
I tend to read the Bible like I do most everything else – rushed. If, for a few minutes, you can show up to the active and living Word of God and ask for God’s Spirit to speak something to you, He will be faithful to honor that moment.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF DISTRACTED, IT IS NOT A SIGN YOU ARE A BAD CHRISTIAN; IT IS A SIGN YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING. EVERY MOMENT OF DISTRACTION IS ANOTHER MOMENT TO INVITE GOD BACK INTO THE MOMENT. HE WILL BE FAITHFUL TO SHOW UP IF YOU ARE.
As you Go First by placing God first, you will naturally affect the world around you. Rosanna and I firmly believe that our greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God will not be something we do, but the three children we raise. When they see mom and dad cultivate a Go First mindset, they are being trained to do the same. The spiritual habits of your children will be a direct result of your spiritual habits. It is their job to go second.
As you go throughout your day, a morning with prayer and scripture reading has a way of baptizing the entire day. The edge in your voice will be gone. The anger in traffic will be diffused. At the same time, the pull to spend hours on end in shallow debates or consuming shallow content will be lessened.
It doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the occasional People Magazine article; it just means you won’t want to waste your precious time.
It's your turn to Go First •
It's your turn to Go First •
WRITE - 5 MINUTES
Now,
GO FIRST
1.
Jot down your typical morning routine from hitting the snooze button to stretching, brushing your teeth, coffee, etc. Choose one new spiritual habit you want to incorporate (e.g. reading scripture, writing a prayer, meditating, etc.).
2.
It takes 60 days to form a habit. What will your plan be for incorporating this new spiritual habit over the next 60 days? Be specific. And be sure to provide an alternative plan in case life derails you!
3.
These two daily habits can change your spiritual depth: Silent prayer and slow reading of scripture. Start with 15 minutes a day for 60 days with these two habits.
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