Do you start your day in quiet time with the Lord? For me, it is the spiritual lifeblood of my day. I simply must spend time with Him in order to receive the strength and direction I need.

There are multitudes of ways to commune with God during your day. The Christian publishing industry continues to print good materials in the form of devotionals, study Bibles, books, and more. Classics like My Utmost for His Highest and Streams in the Desert remain popular. Newer classics such as Jesus Calling have millions of devotees. (My devotional Winning the Race Every Day is available, too.)

As I was reading today, I ran across Romans 15:4 (HCSB ) and was captivated, inspired, and reassured by Paul’s words. He wrote, “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.”

For me, those words written long ago resonated in my spirit and I was instantly strengthened knowing and feeling that God’s Word does in fact encourage me and give me hope.

My friend, it is my prayer that you read your Bible every day to help you stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Time spent with God is the very best use of your daily allotment of minutes and hours. No matter which way you interact with God, I know that He will reward you with endurance, encouragement, and hope.