Living On Purpose In Christ | Boundaries, Devotions, Positive Affirmations, Bible Study, Christian, Faith, Scripture

63 | Lectio Divina and Positive Affirmations: What Is the Secret Sauce to Nurturing Faith?

• Paula Behrens | Christian Coach, Pastor, Certified Aroma Freedom Practitioner • Season 2

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Finding a deeper connection with God through simple devotionals, prayers and affirmations can bring peace and purpose to your busy life, even during the most chaotic seasons.

• Christian devotions provide vital connections with God that nurture our spiritual lives and illuminate our path toward holiness
• Centering Prayer moves beyond words to open our whole being to God who is "closer than our breathing"
• Lectio Divina allows us to read scripture with "the ear of the heart" to engage in conversation with God
• Scripture-based affirmations reshape our mindset by internalizing biblical truths
• Setting faithful boundaries, as Jesus demonstrated by withdrawing to pray, creates space for spiritual growth
• Nurturing your soul through intentional practices can transform not only your life but impact those around you

Schedule your one-on-one Aroma of Christ coaching session with me at paulabehrens.com to discover how easy it is to customize a devotional plan that you'll wake up excited to embrace each morning.


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Paula Berhens:

Are you ready to deepen your spiritual journey with simple devotionals, empowering prayers and transformative affirmations? Welcome to Living on Purpose in Christ, where we merge sacred moments with uplifting words for your soul. Today's episode promises to be your source of hope and encouragement as we explore the power of faith in everyday life.

Paula Berhens:

Are you finding it challenging to maintain your spiritual practices or yearning for a more peaceful, God-aligned day? I'm Paula and I've been there too. Balancing spiritual habits with a busy life can be difficult. I longed for a deeper connection with God but struggled with consistency. Then I found the perfect approach. If you seek simple ways to deepen your connection with God, this podcast is for you.

Paula Berhens:

When I first began my seminary work while serving two church congregations full-time, everyone assumed I had my daily devotional time perfectly organized. But, truth be told, there were mornings I could barely find five minutes to catch my breath, let alone dive into deep reflection. One day, as I rushed out the door with mismatched shoes, I realized that even in my chaos there was a lesson. We're all just doing our best in this journey of faith, a beautiful work in progress. Embracing God's grace and self-forgiveness, I realized that true success in my devotional life requires prioritizing my spiritual practices.

Paula Berhens:

Are you ready to infuse your spiritual journey with a peace-filled confidence? Spend just 60 minutes with me to experience joyful and engaging ways to embrace your relationship with God. Discover how easy it really is to customize a devotional plan that you'll wake up each morning excited to embrace. All of this in your one-on-one Aroma of Christ coaching session with me. Schedule your call now at paulabehrens. com. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S dot com. All right, it's time to get started. Grab your Bible, dust off your journal and cozy up to your favorite beverage and let's dive in.

Paula Berhens:

Today we'll journey into a world where sacred moments meet the uplifting power of positive affirmations. We will be expanding our spiritual journey, as we explore several interesting topics. We'll jump right into faith and the things we can do to experience, more fully, the presence of God and His Holy Spirit, even in our busiest days. It is my prayer that today's episode will be a beacon of hope and encouragement that will uplift and support you as you navigate your daily responsibilities.

Paula Berhens:

Let's begin by reflecting on the significance of Christian devotions. These precious moments of connection with God are vital to nurturing our spiritual lives. Whether it's through reading the Bible, spending time in prayer or contemplating scripture, these practices serve to ground us in our faith and purpose. Devotions are not simply routines, they're opportunities to open our hearts to God's divine whispers to us. Which always brings to mind, Psalm 119, verse 105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." This powerful verse reminds us that devotions are meant to illuminate the pathway to becoming more holy, to opening our hearts to the idea of being set apart for God's purposes. That's what being holy means. It means being set apart for whatever God has in store for us for that day.

Paula Berhens:

I remember a conversation with a church member and good friend a while back. Her name was Mary Brandt. She was a devoted Christian who would start her days with a quiet moment of devotion by the window. She described it as her daily breath of life, as essential as the air she breathed. It was in those peaceful moments that she set her intentions for living in alignment with Christ's teachings that day. Mary was a mentor for me. I remember saying often that if anyone had reached perfection in the Lord, it was Mary Brandt. I remember our quiet times together in our weekly H. I. S. "His in Service" prayer group in the beautiful historical sanctuary of Chappell Hill Methodist Church, where we enjoyed a few moments each week of Centering Prayer.

Paula Berhens:

Centering Prayer is based on the wisdom saying of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where he encouraged his followers with these words, "When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you." That's Matthew, chapter 6, verse 6. It is also inspired by writings of other major contributors to the Christian contemplative heritage, including John Cassian, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing, Francis de Sales, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Thomas Merton. "Be still and know that I am God," would be a good scriptural word picture of centering prayer. Most often we think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words, but that is only one expression of prayer.

Paula Berhens:

In the Christian tradition, centering prayer is considered to be the pure gift of God. It is the opening of the mind and heart, our whole being, to God. It is the ultimate mystery beyond thoughts, words and emotions. Through grace, we open our awareness to God, who is closer than our breathing, closer than our thinking, closer than consciousness itself. Centering prayer is a method designed to facilitate the development of prayer by preparing our hearts and our minds to receive this gift. It presents ancient Christian wisdom teachings in an updated form. Centering prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer, though, rather, it casts a new light and depth of meaning on all of our other prayers. It is, at the same time, both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. This method of prayer is a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with him. If you're looking to deepen your connection through centering prayer, consider setting aside a specific time each day that aligns with your daily rhythm. It could be during the calm of dawn or the stillness of night. Use this time to sit in God's presence in silence, simply listening for his guidance.

Paula Berhens:

Lectio Divina is another awesome way to connect with God through a blending of his word with prayer. Lectio Divina is sometimes described as reading scripture with the ear of the heart. This method of prayer was founded by Saint Benedict and Pope Gregory in the 6th century, although its roots date back to the Christian scholar Origen in the 3rd century. Lectio Divina has been a core part of the Christian faith for centuries, and over the last hundred years or so, it's become widely practiced within both the Catholic and the Protestant churches. It's a prayer method with deep roots and a powerful connection to God. This form of prayer is different from reading the Bible for study or analysis. Rather, the passage is read as the living word of God, through which he can speak into our hearts. It's a way to engage God in conversation and listen for his words. It's a time when we allow the ear of the heart to listen for God's still small voice.

Paula Berhens:

Here's a little snippet of one of my Lectio Divina devotionals. Okay, before we get started, I just want to say, if you're driving, there are parts in this devotional that I guide you to close your eyes. Please don't do that. If you're driving, keep your eyes open. Okay, let's get started.

Paula Berhens:

Relax now, breathe in your frankincense and rest in the presence of the Lord as I guide you through a time of prayer using Lectio Divina. To prepare, we will be reading from 1 Peter 2, verse 5. Go ahead and close your eyes, get comfortable and clear your mind for prayer. Relax your body. Place both feet on the floor and rest your hands in your lap. Now pray this prayer after me, "Dear God, come into this holy space and speak to my heart through your words that I will hear today." Continue with your eyes closed as I recite a New Testament passage about the priesthood from 1 Peter 2.5. Listen for any word or phrase that catches your attention. "Like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Now hear the passage from 1 Peter three more times. And this time with the ears of your heart, listen to each individual word and open the center of your being to hear God's messages.

Paula Berhens:

Okay, I hope you enjoyed that. You can find the full version on my website at PaulaBehrens. com. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S . com. As we continue our journey, let's explore the transformative power of positive affirmations. Affirmations based on scripture aren't merely feel-good phrases, they are statements of truth as found in God's Word. They do have potential and can reshape our mindset and, ultimately, our lives. In Philippians, chapter 4, verse 8, we are encouraged to focus on "whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable." This is an example of a biblical affirmation where the Apostle Paul instructs his listeners to reflect on these virtues, and it can also be a simple way that we can redirect our minds, even today. Okay, so let's consider a modern-day affirmation like, "I am created in God's image, and his love empowers me." This is a biblical truth reworded in a simple phrase that's easy to remember, "I am created in God's image and his love empowers me." By internalizing these simple words, we embrace our divine identity and the immense love that God offers to us. Try writing down one affirmation each day that aligns with your spiritual values. Incorporate it into your morning or your evening routine. Speak it aloud with conviction. You can even develop a power pose to go along with it, if you like. This simple yet profound practice can build a resilient mindset that is rooted in faith.

Paula Berhens:

Now let's tie it all together with the art of setting faithful boundaries. Boundaries in a Christian context are about honoring your own needs while maintaining compassion and kindness. Yes, I said honoring your own needs. Remember, Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to pray. These were his moments of setting boundaries, while prioritizing his connection with the Father and tuning out the chaos of the world around him. By setting boundaries, you allow space for the Holy Spirit's whispers to permeate your life more fully. This could mean saying no to commitments that drain you, or unplugging from technology to embrace quiet reflection time. Consider what boundaries you need to implement in your life to enhance your spiritual journey. Perhaps it's setting aside a non-negotiable time each day for prayer or Bible reading. Or maybe you can just start by designating a space in your home as your spiritual sanctuary. Remember, these boundaries are acts of self-care that will help you think about what really matters in life.

Paula Berhens:

To illustrate the profound impact of devotions and affirmations, let me share a story with you about a father and a husband who faced overwhelming stress at work and at home. Feeling detached and spiritually drained, he finally decided to incorporate nightly devotions and daily affirmations into his life. The shift for him was remarkable and his family even noticed his renewed energy and peace. His children observed that he responded with more patience and understanding. Of course, this was coming from his newfound spiritual balance, a beautiful reminder and testimony of how nurturing our soul can ripple out, transforming not only our own lives but those around us. As we wrap up today's episode, let us remember that nurturing our soul requires intentional moments of devotion, strength drawn from positive affirmations and the wisdom to set faithful boundaries. And, of course, there's prayer. This sacred blend will guide you toward a life of purpose, peace and divine connection.

Paula Berhens:

I hope this episode has inspired you to cultivate deeper spiritual practices and to embrace the affirming power of Christ's love in your life. Thank you for tuning in today and remember, just like setting biblical boundaries, it's okay to say no to things that don't serve you well, like that third piece of cake at the church potluck. If you enjoyed this episode, we would truly appreciate it if you would take just a few moments to follow the show and leave a review. Also, spend just 60 minutes with me to experience joyful and engaging ways to embrace your relationship with God. Discover how easy it really is to customize a devotional plan that you'll wake up each morning excited to embrace, all of this in your one-on-one Aroma of Christ coaching session. Schedule your call now at Paula Behrens .com. That's Paula Behrens B-E-H-R-E-N-S .com (no spaces). Be sure to check the show notes for all the links. Join us next week as we continue to discover how to live on purpose in Christ. Until then, keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom. See you next time.