I recently heard the topic of daily devotions being discussed.  Many people believe that daily devotional time spent with God is a good thing. But rather than feeling joyful about it and looking forward to spending time with God they find their devotional time boring and therefore avoid it.   The leader of the discussion asked how long we should spend in daily devotions.  Someone suggested 30 minutes. 

If I believe that I need to spend 30 minutes in daily devotional time to be doing it right, even though I consider it boring, then it is unlikely that I will do it at all.  I suggest that if we find daily devotional time boring to just spend a few minutes a day reading a short devotional.  Exercising our spiritual muscles is similar to exercising physically.  No one expects a couch potato to get up and run a marathon, but would expect them to begin an exercise program with a short daily walk and work up to more strenuous exercise. 

Exercise is even more inspiring and easy to do if we do it with a friend.  So I suggest that before beginning a short devotional time that you ask the Holy Spirit to join you.  David said in Psalm 63:5-7,   “….My mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on You in the watches of the night; for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy.”  Quite obviously for David daily devotional time was not boring, it brought him great joy.  But, how do we get that joy?  Jesus says in John 14:26 that He will give us the Holy Spirit who will teach us all things.  When we ask the Holy Spirit to join us in our devotional time He can share with us the same joy that David experienced when he spent his devotional time with God.

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.  Psalm 5:11-12