Faith at Your Fingertips: How Devotional Books Enhance Spiritual Growth

What books sit on your nightstand or beside the chair you use for morning or evening devotions? 

If you’re a person who’s serious about your faith, I’d expect to find a Bible. When I became a Christian, one of the first pieces of advice I received was, “Read your Bible. It’s how you get to know God.” 

It took me a long time (decades!) to develop a daily Bible reading habit, but my wise friend’s advice has proven true. Reading the Bible is the best way to truly know God. On its pages, I’ve learned about God’s character, His heart for people, and His hatred for sin. I’ve read example after example of His patience, kindness, power, and holiness. Through the panorama of history contained in its pages, I’ve watched God’s plan for mankind unfold, giving me confident faith for the future.

Without a doubt, Christians should read the Bible.

But what about devotional books? Is it okay to read something written by someone other than God about His Word?

Yes. In their proper context, I believe a biblically sound, well-written devotional book can help us grow spiritually. I plan to buy several this holiday season as I prepare for a new year of spiritual growth.

Four Reasons Devotional Books Can Help Us Grow Spiritually

1. Devotionals can prime and soften our hearts for God’s Word.

For most of my spiritual life, I’ve read a devotional along with my Bible. Oswald Chambers’s classic, My Utmost for His Highest, currently sits on my kitchen table next to my Bible. During seasons of trial, I find myself turning to L. B. Cowman’s Streams in the Desert. In Advent and Lenten seasons, I pull out a holiday-themed volume to direct my thoughts toward seasonal topics.

As I read, I sense the Holy Spirit awakening my mind and heart. Like the worship music before the pastor’s sermon on Sunday, a well-written devotional sets the stage for the main event—my encounter with God’s Word.

2. Devotionals zoom in on specific passages of Scripture.

Because I read through the Bible each year, I usually read two to four chapters a day. This schedule requires me to read larger portions of Scripture (macrofocus). Reading a devotional, however, invites me to zoom in on one or two verses (microfocus). Oftentimes, although I know I’ve read the verse or verses before in my Bible, I feel as if I’m seeing them for the first time. When a devotional author spotlights a verse or two, they encourage the reader to linger. To savor instead of gulp. To ponder and pause.

3. Devotionals invite us to learn from another’s perspective and grow in faith.

How often have you listened to a sermon or Sunday school lesson and said, “I never thought of that before”? The same thing happens when we read a passage of Scripture through a devotional writer’s eyes. 

Devotionals take the sometimes-lofty truths of Scripture and show us how they apply to our lives right here, right now. Faith stories inspire faith in us—they’re contagious. Consider Hebrews 11, the Bible’s “Hall of Faith.” The great faith of the ancient saints inspires us to exercise greater faith ourselves.

4. Devotionals reinforce the truths of God’s Word.

God speaks to us in primarily four ways: through His Word, the Bible; through the Holy Spirit in our hearts; through biblically wise counselors; and through circumstances. 

I can’t count the number of times I’ve sensed that God was telling me something, but I wasn’t sure. “Lord,” I’ve prayed, “make your will clear to me.” 

Oftentimes God will confirm His message through other sources. My pastor will preach a sermon that “amens” what I sense God is saying to me. A godly friend will share her thoughts when I ask for counsel. Many times, though, what I read in my daily devotional repeats or reinforces what I sense God is calling me to do. 

Isaiah 55:11 tells us, “My word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please.” If a devotion contains God’s Word and accurately applies it, God can and does speak through it. 

When I first began writing devotions, I was often caught off guard when a reader would share how God had spoken to her through something I’d written. Then I read the passage in Numbers 22 where God used a donkey to deliver His message to the prophet Balaam. If He can use a donkey, I reasoned, then I shouldn’t be surprised that He can use me. 

How God Used a Devotional in My Life

During a busy season, I sensed the Lord prompting me to reach out to one of my young neighbors. She and her husband had separated, and she was struggling with the challenges of single parenting. I’d offered to help, but I was wrestling with my selfish nature. 

“Lord,” I prayed, “I’m already stretched thin with work, ministry, and the needs of my own kids and grandkids. How can I take on another?” (Add a little whine to these words, and you’ll have an accurate picture of my prayer.)

That morning, I opened my Bible to the day’s reading—Numbers. When I finished reading, I opened My Utmost for His Highest and read the devotion for the day. The Scripture verse the author had chosen was Matthew 20:28: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” Chambers wrote: “Paul didn’t draw his motivation for serving from a love for humanity. The well he drew from was his love for Jesus Christ. . . . He wanted to spend himself to the last penny.”¹

I chuckled and shook my head as I realized that the God of the universe was speaking to me through His Word in Matthew and Chambers’s devotion, “The Determination to Serve.” He knew I needed to be reminded that He was calling me not only to serve my neighbor but also to serve Him. 

“Thank you, precious Father,” I prayed as I blinked back tears. “You have heard my prayer, seen my heart, and corrected my attitude. Thank You for not allowing me to take the lazy way out and miss the blessing You have for me as I serve You by serving others. Use me in this family’s life to be the hands and feet of Jesus. May they feel Your love and my love for them today. Amen.”

I hope by now that you’re convinced that reading a devotional in addition to your daily Bible reading can be a powerful way to grow in faith. Keep in mind, though, that not all devotionals are created equal. Just as much of what manufacturers call “food” contains little nutrition and can even be harmful to our health, not every devotional will help you grow spiritually strong. 

5 Tips for Choosing a Devotional

1. Pray and ask God to lead you.

If you sincerely desire to grow in knowledge and love for God, He will lead you to the right resources. God always answers our prayers for wisdom (James 1:5).

2. Research the author.

Is he or she associated with a denomination or ministry that faithfully preaches and teaches God’s Word, even the parts that challenge current cultural practices? Most authors have a website. Read their statement of faith to be sure it agrees with biblical principles. If you’re not sure, ask a biblically wise friend.

3. Read the sample devotions.

Many websites have a “Look inside” feature that allows you to preview a sample of the contents. As you read, ask yourself, “Is this devotion more about the story or about the spiritual truth?” The story is an important part of a devotion, but it should introduce and support the Bible verse, not overshadow it. Each devotion should direct your thoughts toward God and His Word, not just the clever illustration the author shared. (You know, like being able to recount the fun story the pastor told at the beginning of his message but having no recollection of what he preached about. Ouch!)

4. Look for meat, not milk.

Devotions are designed to be short, but they shouldn’t be shallow. You should come away from each reading with a deeper understanding of God, His Word, yourself, or the world around you. A well-written, biblical devotion will challenge your faith, convict you of sin, teach you something about God, or inspire you to love and serve Him more. While a devotion may stir your emotions, it shouldn’t be a “feel good” experience as much as a “God is good” experience.

5. Ask a spiritual leader or growing Christian what they’re reading.

I’ve found some of the best devotionals by asking those whom I respect in the faith. Don’t blindly take their word for it, though. Do your own research.

A Final Thought—and a Warning

I hope I’ve made a solid case for including devotional reading in your time with the Lord. By reading the godly thoughts and words of others, you can grow spiritually in dynamic ways. 

Allow me to add a warning, though. Sometimes, when we’re pressed for time or feeling lazy, we’re tempted to skip our Bible reading and only read a devotional. 

Resist this urge. 

Devotionals contain God’s Word, but only the Bible is God’s Word. To neglect it is to settle for eating a power bar when we could sit down to a ten-course feast. Fight for your Bible-reading time, and if you have to choose between reading your Bible and reading a devotional, choose your Bible every time. 

¹ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest Modern Classic Edition, p. 70.