How to Develop a Personal Liturgy
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.—Mark 1:35
If routines are a way that we worship the Lord through being faithful in the little things, then wouldn’t it make sense to have a spiritual routine as well?
Just as a liturgy is a pattern of words or actions repeated regularly in worship, daily and weekly spiritual rhythms form a pattern in our lives that provides support and direction in our growth of faith.
Without them, I am “prone to wander,” as the hymn writer puts it. Positively, it has been a powerful way to connect the dots from faith into practice. It helps declutter myself from what is unhelpful and then develop a plan for growing in grace.
Isn’t This Legalistic?
That’s a good question. This is an issue if it becomes the end and not the means to the greater end. It could become legalistic if the rules overshadow your relationship with God. To avoid this, we opt to just “let the Spirit lead.”
Others suppose that it would feel like a straitjacket. The avoidance of boredom can also run our spiritual lives.
But the truth is, one way or another, we will develop a rule. Having no rule is in itself a rule. It is the rule of letting whatever is urgent or most interesting at the moment tempt us or direct us.
However, the spiritual life, like the physical life, requires training. We naturally will go our own way.. We are constantly tempted by the world, the flesh, and the enemy to forge our own path.
By thoughtfully setting up healthy spiritual habits throughout our day, we allow God’s values to run our day instead of letting the world’s narrative shape us. When practiced with this motivation, they are a statement of faith. It is a commitment to following Christ over my own kingdom.
What Goes into a Rule of Life?
The possibilities are endless, but Justin Whitmel Earley in his book, The Common Rule, suggests starting with keystone habits—micro practices that have macro effects.
These habits should help you develop the two key commandments: loving God and loving others. To help us remember, they should be things you practice daily or weekly. For me, my rule is pretty basic right now:
Kneeling in prayer first thing in the morning
Reading my Bible before I read anything else
Pausing midday to work through a liturgical devotional
Meeting weekly with my husband and with a friend each week
Practicing a Sabbath every Monday with my family
These practices help me to keep God as my focus throughout the day and week. They also keep me connected to the people I care about.
What are some things, if you did them on a regular basis, have great results?
How Do I Develop a Rule for Myself?
Start by identifying your keystone disciplines. Begin with prayer and Scripture to tether yourself to the Lord. If these are already in place, consider something more more challenging, like reading for discipleship, rehearsing the gospel or Scripture memory.
Define a key purpose for each discipline. How will it help you love God or love others better?
Determine a frequency—generally, daily or weekly?
Fit them into your general routines of life, if possible. Can you tie this to something you are already doing?
Start small and add. It’s better to do a little, even if it isn’t what you envisioned, than give up entirely because you’re not able to keep it up. Praying for one minute is better than not praying at all because I cannot focus for five minutes.
Conclusion
As Earley observes,
“The rule of life intended to pattern communal life in the direction of purpose and love instead of chaos and decay.”
We know Jesus’ call to abide in the vine (John 15:5). Establishing a rhythm gives me different ways at different points in my day to turn my heart back to Him.
Creating a rule of life is one way to align my spiritual values into my everyday patterns. This helps me invest my life in the things that matter most to Him and live out His story.
It does take intention and a bit of planning, but it does have eternal benefits. I am more tethered to God’s truth, which shapes my worldview and helps me grow in His character.
