Preach the Gospel to Yourself

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” – Romans‬ ‭3:21-25‬

I’ll be transparent: my Bible reading doesn’t always happen first thing in the morning. But when it does, what takes place is glorious. It’s not magical. It doesn’t guarantee everything about my day will be perfect.

It’s glorious because God is made manifest in my morning!

His Word is alive and active. It’s sharper than a double edged sword. It penetrates my soul. (Heb 4:12) We know it is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. (Ps 119:105) Our hope is in the Word. (Ps 119:114)

When I worked at Fort Caswell during my college summers, I learned the importance of preaching the Gospel to yourself daily. And while that doesn’t have to take place in the morning, it’s helpful and practical to make it a part of your morning routine. Here’s a few reasons why:

1. God owns the day.

If you’re like me, it’s so easy to forget that every day and every moment and every good gift comes from above. Every breath comes from God. Every blessing is from the Father. And He is sovereign over all things, creatures, events, and circumstances.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

Even on your worst day, God made it for us to rejoice in Him. It’s difficult for our human selves to rejoice in hardship and difficulty. Or even in the mundane. That leads me to point number two:

2. We need His strength.

When we begin our day in the presence of our Savior and Creator, that changes things. We are reminded of our great need for Him and to be filled with His Spirit.

He strengthens. He encourages. He convicts. He gives us boldness. He reminds us of His perfect love. His Son intercedes for us.

When your day starts off this way, you may not automatically conquer everything on your to do list with a smile and have the “best day ever”, but you’ll be prepped to face the day knowing that God’s got you in His righteous right hand. As we say in my family: God’s got this!

3. Others will reap the benefit.

When God works on your heart and your attitude early in the day, those you come in contact with will be grateful. Assuming your encounter with the Lord was transforming and causes you to look to Christ before yourself, you just may be a more Christ-like and Christ-exalting person throughout the day.

If not, keep reading your Bible and spending time with Him. He’s in the business of heart transformation!

As our hearts become more like His heart, we will see and love people the way Jesus sees and loves people. Our lives become less about serving ourselves and shifts to seeking ways to better serve and share Jesus with others. We will extend more grace as we remember the grace that’s been shown to us.

So, if you haven’t spent time with Him yet this morning or you’re not in the habit of doing so regularly, join me in growing that discipline. You won’t regret it!