The 5-Minute Morning Habit That's Actually Spiritual Warfare

Peace.

It seems almost contradictory that it must be protected and fought for.

The more intentional I want to be with my daily rhythms, dreams, and goals, the more I notice the pull to default to shortcuts, like turning on my phone in the morning sooner than usual so I can listen to a podcast while I make my coffee. Or checking my email and stepping into the world before I’ve prayed and read Scripture.

It’s a daily resistance.

Before I turn on my phone and walk into the cacophony of competing priorities and obligations, I take time to open my Bible, pray, and come back into alignment with God.

That time is precious and after establishing this sacred morning routine for over a month and a half now — reading scripture, consecrating the day to God, praying — I love the peace and the calm that comes from orienting back to God first. Giving Him the firstfruits of my day, coming back into union with Him before I step into the madness of the world.

Protecting these rhythms is a daily declaration of war. It is active engagement in spiritual warfare, not a restful exercise.

And it is opposed consecration.

Peace doesn’t merely appear out of nowhere, nor is it sustained without effort.

This world is not neutral, as much as we’d like to fool ourselves into believing.

To live fully alive — with the peace that passes all understanding — requires stewarding your internal and external world with intention. This means ordering your habits, decisions, and responses into protected rhythms of spiritual consecration.

True Peace doesn’t come from spending hours in nature, hyper controlling one’s schedule, or avoiding conflict.

It ultimately comes from abiding in Jesus and out of that abiding comes the strength to face what the day holds.

Anchored.

Small Practices
I’ve been kneeling either by my bed or reading chair to pray, and there’s something about physically placing oneself in a position of submission before God that helps get my heart into a state of submission as well. It’s another act of consecration. Try it and see.

• Reading: I’m reading Kristin Lavransdatter by Norwegian author Sigrid Undset this month, another behemoth of a book. It won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928. It’s a bit slow-going, especially after having recently finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo, but I’m enjoying the change in pace. I’m traveling to Norway soon and want to immerse myself in its literature before I go. I’m also reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley because why not read something spooky when there’s plenty of daylight to ensure I don’t get too freaked out.

• Listening: For over a decade my favorite podcast has been Wild at Heart (formerly called the Ransomed Heart podcast). They’ve been doing a series this summer called Ruling Your Domain and it has been such a rescue and a reminder that God created us to steward and rule well the territory of our lives. The first episode in their five-part series in particular has been reorienting in ways I didn’t expect, yet very much needed. I hope it does the same for you.

• Playing: I’ve been having a lot of fun this summer with jigsaw puzzles and this 3D wooden brain teaser puzzle. Instead of using down time to scroll, I’ll work on the puzzle for a few minutes. It’s so fun!

• Writing: If you have a journaling practice, spend some time writing and thinking about this question — How am I stewarding my attention this summer?

I’d love to hear about it in the comments.