1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says that our “bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit” and that God wants us to keep healthy, happy and productive. As a social media content creator, I’ve noticed how much emphasis influencers put on the importance of a daily routine. After a while, however, these videos start to look the same — exercise regimens, skin and hair routines, food and beverage choices and so on.
Honestly, it overwhelms me. I have struggled to keep a regular schedule every day. I do agree, however, that having a consistent daily routine is important, as it helps us take care of ourselves and ensures we are meeting our physical and mental needs.
While everyone’s lives are different, and we all do different things every day, there are three things that I think everyone should try to add to their daily routines: prayer, listening to Christian music and reading the Bible.
Nurturing our relationship with God is as important as caring for our bodies, minds and hearts. As we manage our everyday lives, we also need to care for our spiritual well-being.
- The first habit — prayer — should be non-negotiable.
Speaking with God is the easiest and best way to maintain a relationship with him. At the diocese’s Junior High Rally in Little Rock last fall, the guest speaker, Bob Perron, mentioned a prayer technique that I recommend you try. It’s called the doorway prayer. Every time you walk through a doorway, say a quick prayer. You could thank God for something awesome that happened, or you could ask him to watch over someone you love. You’ll be surprised at how many doorways you walk through every day and how many prayers you’ll say. We can never thank God enough for everything he does for us.
- The second habit is to listen to Christian music.
When people think of this type of music, many automatically think of hands raised in praise to a gospel song. While there is nothing wrong with this, remember there are so many other Christian genres to explore — surely you can find a category that is your cup of tea. Father Barnabas Maria-Susai, my parish pastor, reminds us of a beautiful sentiment from St. Augustine — “the one who sings prays twice.”
Playing my guitar and singing a hymn is my favorite way to worship God and offer up my prayers to him. Whether you’re singing, playing an instrument or just choosing to listen to Christian music when you’re in the car, working out or just relaxing, you are caring for your spiritual health.
- The third habit is to read the Bible every day.
Many of us don’t bother to open the Bible because it’s read to us every weekend at Mass. But there’s so much that doesn’t get covered within the three-year liturgical cycles, and there are many stories and lessons we miss.
If you want a guided study, Father Mike Schmitz hosts the free “The Bible In A Year” podcast. In it, he walks through the Bible with his listeners each day, reading and interpreting each piece of Scripture. By making time daily to read the Bible and study what God is communicating to us, we can further deepen our relationship with him.
Our routines are very important to us. We rely on them to provide us with a sense of predictability and comfort in our lives. But we can’t just pay attention to our physical well-being and neglect our spiritual health. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” By adding these three small but powerful habits to our daily routines, we can nourish our souls and grow closer to God in the process. I am challenging you all to try these habits with me.
Mailelani Lessenberry is a freshman at the University of Dallas and served as a marketing intern for Ave Maria Press this summer. Her home parish is St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Bella Vista.
