Happy New Year!

I thought I would share the spiritual rhythms I am using for 2023 to grow my relationship with God.

There are three resources that I am using:

Hear the Ancient Wisdom: Daily readings from the Early Church to the Reformation, by Charles Ringma. This is a set of daily readings including a biblical text, and drawing on quotes from classic Christian thinkers that flow from those texts. Each day has a reading, a key thought, a devotion, a quote, and then a pithy reflection. Last year I read through the Bible in one year, so felt comfortable on choosing a more thematic resource to guide my Bible reading. I find that Charles Ringma is able to combine breadth of biblical knowledge and experience, with depth os spiritual awareness. The paperback is a little pricey but an eBook is available. Each day is a 5–10 mins read.
The Resilient Rhythms Journal is a new resource from Mitch Everingham, a pastor from Australia, living and serving in Switzerland, and studying an MTh in Missiology at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, Scotland. I really love this journal which encourages monthly, weekly and daily rhythms. It includes spaces to reflect on Scripture, to journal, to pray and challenges us to think how we are growing closer to God, and how we are seeking to love others. I’m loving the questions and the challenges, and am using it to track my ability to have a phone Sabbath. The daily journalling takes 5–15 mins.
The Examen is a practice I have been doing for over 20 years. It is a daily examination of how I have been open to God, what gifts I have received from God, how I have been closed to God, and how I will respond to these reflections. An example can be found here. This takes me about 5 mins to complete.

Now I might practise these spiritual disciplines but it leads to nothing… why? Knowledge about God does not necessarily lead to relationship and intimacy with God. Yet, an intimate relationship with God is vital to sustain a Christian in the context in which God has placed us. So, we need to have that relationship and to feed it regularly. I might know about God, but I need to know God intimately, in a living relationship.

So in doing these disciplines I am conscious that they are not just for the purpose of gaining knowledge about God, or even about me; though that will happen. The purpose of the disciplines is to be gateways to experiencing deep communion or fellowship with God. To abide with or in him (John 15:1–17).

So what spiritual disciplines will you be exercising this year?