You will not grow closer to Christ by accident. Our spiritual conditions are contingent upon the intentional disciplines to withdraw from distractions and engage with devotions.
Luke 5:15-16
The Problem
- The more distant we are from God, the easier it is to disobey Him.
- The devil’s strategy is to distract you from your relationship with God and others.
- We could read the entire Bible in 20 days if we just used the average time we spend on our phones.
- We could read the entire Bible 9 times in a year if we just used the average time we spend on Netflix.
The Passage
- Jesus’ reputation constantly increased the number of people requesting His attention (5:15).
- People were drawn to Jesus by what He would say and what He could do (5:15).
- Jesus consistently withdrew from the crowds so that He could adequately minister to them (5:16).
- Jesus would rise early (Mark 1:35), stay up late (Luke 6:12), retreat to isolation (Matt. 14:23), and frequent favorite spots (Luke 22:39).
- If the perfect Son of God prioritized meeting with His Father this much, what makes us think we could neglect it?
The Process
- Plan what your devotions will look like for one week at a time.
- Prepare your rhythms and environments to facilitate your devotions.
- Partner with someone else who either knows or shares your plan.
- Persist in your devotions regardless of how many days you miss.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.travisagnew.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Travis-2021-2.jpg?resize=100%2C100&ssl=1)
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.