We’ve all been there. The alarm goes off, the sun is just starting to peek over the Boise foothills, and you have every intention of starting your day with the Lord. You grab your coffee, open your Bible, and then… well, life happens. Maybe your mind drifts to your to-do list, or you find yourself scrolling through your phone before you’ve even finished the first Psalm.
At 1Love Christian Church, we believe that our morning time with God is the foundation for everything else. It’s where we get the "spiritual fuel" needed to navigate life in the Treasure Valley. But let’s be real: sometimes our "quiet time" feels more like a "chore time." If your morning devotions feel dry, rushed, or just plain inconsistent, you aren’t alone.
As a Bible teaching church in Boise, we want to help you move past the "box-checking" mentality and into a real, life-giving relationship with Jesus. Here are seven common mistakes you might be making with your morning devotions and how to fix them today.
1. Treating Devotions Like a Task, Not a Relationship
The biggest mistake we make is treating our time with God like a laundry list. We think, "If I read my three chapters and pray for five minutes, I’ve done my duty." When we approach the Creator of the universe with a "checkbox" mindset, we miss the heart of the Gospel.
The Fix: Shift your goal from finishing to feeding. Instead of trying to get through a certain amount of text, aim to meet with a Person. Before you open your Bible, take a deep breath and say, "Lord, I’m here to be with You." If you only get through three verses but your heart is stirred by God’s goodness, that is a successful morning. At our Treasure Valley Christian worship services, we often talk about "abiding" in Christ. Your morning time is the practice of that abiding.
2. Having No Set Time or Place
If you wait until you "have time" to do devotions, you’ll probably never do them. The busyness of life in Boise: from school drop-offs to work commutes: will swallow every spare second if you don't intentionally carve out a space.
The Fix: Treat your time with God like the most important appointment of your day. Pick a consistent time and a specific spot. Maybe it’s that one comfy chair in the corner of your living room or at your kitchen table before the rest of the house wakes up. Having a dedicated "altar" in your home helps your brain switch into "worship mode" faster. Consistency breeds habit, and habit eventually leads to delight.
3. Relying Only on Devotional Books
There are some amazing devotional books out there, but they should never replace the Word of God itself. If you spend fifteen minutes reading a commentary about the Bible and only thirty seconds reading the actual Bible, your spiritual diet is off-balance.
The Fix: Make Scripture the main course and the devotional book the side dish. Try the "Scripture First" rule: don't open the devotional book until you've read at least one chapter or section of the Bible. This ensures that you are hearing directly from God before you hear what a human author has to say about Him. If you're looking for deep dives into the Word, our Sunday 9:30 AM Bible study led by Dale Cornett is a great place to learn how to study the text for yourself.
4. Rushing Through the Text
We live in a culture of "skimming." We skim headlines, emails, and social media captions. When we apply that same speed to our morning devotions, we don't give the Holy Spirit room to speak. You might finish the reading, but five minutes later, you can't remember a single word of what you read.
The Fix: Slow down. It is better to read one verse five times than to read five chapters once. Try "Lectio Divina" or meditative reading. Read a passage, pick out a word or phrase that jumps out at you, and ask God why that specific part matters for your day. If you find yourself rushing, set a timer for 15 minutes and tell yourself you aren't allowed to close the Bible until it goes off, regardless of how much you've read.
5. Forgetting to Pray Before You Read
Many of us jump straight into the text without asking for help. We try to understand the deep things of God with our own intellect. But the Bible tells us that the things of God are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).
The Fix: Start with a simple "Heart Prep" prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see wonderful things in His Law. A simple prayer like, "Lord, give me ears to hear and a heart to obey today," changes the entire atmosphere of your study. At 1Love Christian Church, we believe that prayer isn't just something we do; it’s the air we breathe.
6. Going It Alone
While "quiet time" is personal, it shouldn't be isolated. If you aren't connected to a community where you can share what you’re learning, your spiritual growth can become stagnant. We weren't meant to follow Jesus in a vacuum.
The Fix: Share your "morning bread" with someone else. Send a quick text to a friend about a verse that encouraged you, or bring it up at your next small group meeting. For the guys in our congregation, our Man Up Men’s Ministry is the perfect place to get real about what God is teaching you. Iron sharpens iron, and knowing someone might ask you, "What has God been saying to you lately?" provides a healthy level of accountability.
7. Letting Your Feelings Drive Your Faithfulness
Some mornings you will feel "the fire." You'll feel close to God, and the verses will practically leap off the page. Other mornings, you’ll feel tired, distracted, or even bored. If you only show up when you feel inspired, your spiritual life will be a roller coaster.
The Fix: Commit to the discipline, not the feeling. Discipline is doing what you know is good for you even when you don't feel like it. On the days when you feel nothing, show up anyway. Trust that God is working in the "quiet" and the "dry" seasons just as much as the mountaintops. Faithfulness is built in the mundane. If you need a boost, you can always listen to recent Boise sermons on our website to jumpstart your reflection.
Connecting with the 1Love Family
Morning devotions are just one part of the Christian walk. We’d love to walk alongside you as you grow in your faith. Whether you are a lifelong believer or just starting to ask questions about Jesus, there is a place for you here at 1Love Christian Church. We are a small, tight-knit community where everyone is known by name, and we take pride in being a welcoming Bible teaching church in Boise.
If you're looking for more ways to deepen your faith beyond your morning routine, join us this Sunday! We have a schedule designed to help you go deeper:
- 9:30 AM: In-Depth Bible Study (led by Dale Cornett)
- 10:30 AM: Worship & Fellowship
- 11:00 AM: Sunday Sermon
Our services are focused on practical, life-changing truth. We don't just want you to know about God; we want you to know Him. Come experience Treasure Valley Christian worship that is authentic, heartfelt, and centered on the Gospel.
Final Thoughts
Your morning devotions don't have to be perfect. God isn't looking for a polished performance; He’s looking for a willing heart. If you’ve made some of these mistakes, don't beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a new day, and His mercies are new every morning. Just grab your Bible, sit down, and start again.
We hope to see you soon at 1lovechurchboise.com or at our next Sunday gathering!
Faith & Practice