I am up early this morning; my favorite part of the day. The house is quiet. A candle flickers on the table. My Bible is in hand. It’s my time with the One who knows me best and loves me most.

I love looking for the one verse that stands out to me and then meditate on it allowing the Spirit to encourage my soul. And I love the fairly new routine I have of texting that verse to each of my grown kids to encourage them in their busy routines.

Routines reveal what is important to us. They keep us grounded when the world seems chaotic. They are good for us in that they help us remember why we do what we do.

• Making the bed daily reveals that order is important to you.
• Spending regular time alone studying God’s Word reveals a desire to know Him and all that He has disclosed to us.
• Being involved in a local church reveals a priority of growing in your walk with Christ and other believers.
• Having regular date nights reveals the priority you place on your relationship with your spouse.
• Making love regularly with your spouse reveals the importance intimacy has in your heart.

Have you considered the routines you have? Have you considered why? How do you feel when your routines are disrupted? 

All of these questions help us get a better grasp on who we are and where we are heading. It’s important to note that not all routines are good ones.

• Spending too much time connecting with people on social media can be a detriment to real, face-to-face time with friends and family.
• Making it a routine to sleep late can be a detriment to your responsibilities.
• A routine of sitting on the couch watching TV night after night can be a detriment to your growth as a Christian.
• Denying your spouse sex can be a huge detriment to your marriage.

Notice I said, “can be”. As the wise King once said, “there is a time for everything…” there are times when it’s okay to do all these things. However it doesn’t take long for necessity to turn into indulgence or manipulation in some cases.

I’m fighting a cold right now and resting all day is good for me. But in my heart I’m longing to return to the routines that I enjoy. I know all too well that laziness can creep in if I’m not careful. Only I know the struggles in my heart and the temptations I have to over-indulge certain things. This is why God instructs is…

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Good routines help us keep our heart on track and allow the springs of life to flow freely. It’s a rhythm only we can hear.

What routines do you practice each day? Spend some time talking about it together on your next date night and see how you might encourage each other in areas needing growth or change.

The sun is about to rise on another day—let us rejoice and be glad that we can once again walk to the rhythm of our routines for His glory, for He is our routine-keeping God!