Pink geraniums lined the front flowerbed, like a warm welcome as I entered my grandparents’ home. The smell of Grandma’s baking often greeted me even before Grandpa’s smile at the open door.
Inside, curtains fluttered in the breeze at the window above the kitchen sink as sunny rays drew my eyes to the table-for-two across the room. Its centerpiece was a plastic bread loaf with a slot on top that held a deck of cards, each the size of a stick of gum, and printed with a Bible verse. “Our Daily Bread” was etched into the side of the loaf.
Every overnight stay in this cozy abode, I shuffled down the creaky wooden staircase in the morning and found Grandpa and Grandma sipping coffee at the little table, the daily verse card between them.
Closing the door of their closet-sized washroom required a practiced shuffle and impeccable timing. Seated on the toilet, my knees almost touched the wall, where a daily Bible verse calendar hung—more evidence of my grandparents’ habitual Scripture consumption.
At every meal, Grandma carefully set the table while Grandpa pulled his Bible off the sideboard. Everyone at the table—family, friends, and strangers alike—waited patiently as he read the next chapter aloud before bowing our heads as he prayed “for the food we’re about to eat.”
In my own childhood home, similar rhythms governed my days. Mealtimes and bedtime always began with a memorized prayer. My parents coached me until I could recite them on my own. That routine was so ingrained that years into adulthood, the prayers would still come to mind whenever I lay down to sleep.
When Spiritual Routines Feel Impossible
When I became a mom, I worked hard to incorporate similar routines into our daily lives, hoping to instill in our children the same valuable spiritual disciplines I’d learned as a child. But while those years were full, fun, and fruitful, they were also exhausting. Many nights, I’d flop into bed and instantly fall asleep. I still prayed, but not consistently. I read the Bible to our kids every day, but I rarely had time to meditate on God’s Word for myself.
During that season, I often felt spiritually dry or malnourished. I related to the psalmist, panting like a deer for water, thirsting for God, and longing for nearness to him (Psalm 42:1–2).
I knew, and I want you to know, that God’s love for us is not dependent on the consistency of our spiritual routines. Reading the Bible or praying each day are not requirements, but they sure are beneficial. (Need specifics? Check out these 15+ good reasons to dig into God’s Word.) However, I’ve discovered that regular Bible reading and prayer don’t just happen; they require intention and discipline.
The Biblical Case for Habits
Eventually, I found ways to build new routines for myself that I could maintain, even in that chaotic season with three little ones. I made a habit of praying in the car because the children were strapped safely in their seats and typically quiet. I printed a Scripture passage and framed it at my kitchen sink, so I could read and ponder it while washing dishes.
I soon realized this habit-based approach wasn’t a new invention, but a practice with biblical roots. The Bible provides a strong precedent for consistency in our spiritual disciplines. For example, Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10), and Peter and John attended a regular “hour of prayer” at the temple (Acts 3:1). David describes a rhythm of prayer in the psalms—”Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice” (Psalm 55:17).
We are called to devote ourselves to prayer (Colossians 4:2), which speaks to commitment and intention. Paul also tells us to pray continually, on all occasions, and to “keep on praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Ephesians 6:18). Maintaining this kind of constant communion with the Lord demands perseverance, practice, and discipline.
How to Build Spiritual Habits That Stick
Does this resonate with you? Do you ever tell someone you’ll pray for them, only to forget? Do you start your morning intending to read the Bible, only to crawl into bed at night and realize you missed it again? Does your heart long for more communion with God?
If so, take inspiration from my grandparents. Here are two simple, practical ways to start building consistency in your spiritual habits.
1. Use Your Space
My grandparents placed physical objects right where they intended to use them. The “Daily Bread” loaf was on the breakfast table. The calendar was in the bathroom. Grandpa’s Bible was on the dining room sideboard. They made saturating themselves in Scripture almost automatic.
Where do you want to be reminded of God’s Word? Where would you notice those reminders? What kind of reminder would prompt you to read Scripture? Maybe it’s putting your BIble on your nightstand instead of your phone, or a verse card on your car dashboard or your computer monitor.
2. Use Your Triggers
Perhaps instead of connecting a spiritual discipline to a place, you’d benefit from my parents’ method: using specific activities or times of the day as “triggers” for prayer. You could tie prayer to an existing habit, like brushing your teeth, starting the car, or pouring your first cup of coffee. You could even use an alarm or your phone’s reminders.
Rather than attempting lengthy prayers or a certain duration of Bible-reading time, focus on consistency. A handful of one-sentence prayers throughout your day or meditating on a single verse might benefit you more than trying (and failing) to accomplish a “power hour” you can’t sustain.
Start small. Be intentional. And let God use those simple, faithful habits to draw you closer to Him.
Consistency Cultivates Deeper Communion With Christ
My grandparents’ simple, daily habits supported a lifetime of faith. They were uncomplicated, consistent, and built a legacy that still nourishes me today.
Do you have a habit that helps you commune with God and His Word throughout your day? I’d love to hear your ideas.