Devotions and Compounding Interest
Devotions. It's a word that brings up mixed emotions for many. It's kind of like prayer. When I ask clients, including pastors and other Christian leaders, about their prayer life, invariably one of the first things I hear is, “I don't pray enough.” Rarely do people feel great about their devotion routine either.
A Major Foe in our Battle
Candidly, I think Satan is behind our struggles with devotions in many ways, because if we don't feel good about a habit or routine, or in particular, if we feel like we are failing in our devotions, we are inclined to do it less, because we already feel guilty. So, we do it less and less, and Satan wins a major battle to hinder our transformation and our contributions.
Finding Motivation
So, how can we frame our devotions and our prayer time in a way that motivates us to do something that virtually every believer knows is good for them, but struggles to do as much as they would like?
I’m so glad you asked. :)
The Magic of Compounding Interest
As I was thinking and praying this topic lately, the idea of compounding interest came to mind. Compounding interest is this almost magical phenomenon. (Albert Einstein apparently called it the “eighth wonder of the world.") Dave Ramsey, the Christian financial guru, provides this example: If you invest $10,000 one time and earn 10% every year for 40 years, that $10,000 magically turns into $452,000 40 years later. Amazing! Thinking about having $452k simply because I found a way to invest 10k forty years ago is simply stunning.
Now, of course, there are drawbacks to this analogy. Most of us don’t have access to 10k to invest when we are 20 years old. I certainly didn’t. Nor do we want money to be an idol. But it does provide a profound parallel for our devotional lives, one that I can speak to from over 40 years of experience.
Yes, I have been super fortunate to consistently read my Bible and spend time in prayer nearly every day for the past 46 years or so. It started right after coming back from a Young Life camp the summer before my sophomore year in high school. (I’m not saying I spent hours a day, but at least 20 minutes a day (15 or so in the Word, and 5 or more in prayer.) And, maybe that’s part of the point, I’m not talking about superhuman efforts. 20 minutes is not a long time, given all the "free time" most of us have in a day, especially given how much time we can spend in front of a screen. :)
But the benefits that have accumulated over decades have truly been like compounding interest, with the curve rising significantly as time has passed. Again, this is not due to heroic efforts.
Two Major Benefits of Consistent Devotions
What are some of the benefits? While there are many, let me just hit two, for the sake of time.
#1 God is Becoming More and More Real
First, the Bible has just become more and more real to me. God is somehow gaining more of a personality and presence as I interact with the Scriptures. It is like his “voice” through the Word has a potency that makes his promises gain more and more power in my soul. It is a remarkable thing to experience. Let me provide one brief example to hopefully bring this to life.
Zephaniah 3:17 has long been one of my favorite passages, and has even been a memory verse with my kids from over 10 years ago. Recently, I read it in the NASB, and it reads:
“The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will [renew you]* in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
As I have soaked in that verse off and on over the past few months, the image of God as a strong, masculine, victorious warrior has become increasingly vivid in my mind. God is a warrior who has never lost in battle, who has conquered every foe, and has rescued me and all his other kids forever! Receiving the truths in those verses more deeply in my heart has been such a balm to my soul.
Plus, the reality of God renewing me in his love has been so rich. As I have reflected on that verse, I have seen the truth of that verse come to life more and more. He has renewed me. He is restoring me. I am becoming more whole. I can’t deny it. It is such an extraordinary gift to my soul, and, not surprisingly, a gift (and perhaps relief!) to those around me as well.
Fresh Insights for Genuine Sharing
The second main benefit of having a daily time in prayer and the Word is that it provides fresh insights nearly every day that are so nice to “have at my fingertips” with my clients and confidants. It has been such a gift to see how God often uses what has just shown me that morning as a gift I can share with those I care so much about. (Of course, it can be tempting to overshare sometimes.) Having a natural opportunity to share something meaningful from God's word, in a life-giving way, provides further assurance that God is actively at work in my life, and often is a real blessing to others. What a sweet thing.
Exhortation! :)
So, dear reader, I hope and pray these words will give you the boost you need to help you get back into the Word on a regular basis. Start with something you feel you can do every day. The bigger point is to have daily exposure and gradually build up your routine so that it becomes a regular part of your life.
I am super confident that God is excited about you either going deeper with Him, or getting started again.
His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), so He doesn’t hold grudges, and isn’t waiting to chastise you for how long it’s been since the last devotion. I promise!
Here's to you investing in His Word, more and more deeply, to enjoy the interest that compounds for eternity!
Blessings,
Nick
*In the NASB, the phrase "will quiet you" is listed. It has an asterisk which states "will renew you."