In 1 Timothy, Paul urges:
4:7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-8
But how do we do this? How do you “train yourself to be godly”?
While the truth is that no amount of our own effort will make us holy, God promises that he is at work in our hearts (Philippians 2:13). In the same way that the needle of a compass can veer off course when it is swayed by the pull of a nearby magnet, our hearts are pulled off course by the many magnetic powers at work in our world — temptations, distractions, idols, false narratives, and disordered values. We need God to re-orient the compass of our hearts to his truth, his word, and his love.
Here are some helpful resources that can help with the daily work of re-orienting your heart to God.
Bible Reading Resources
Daily Prayer Resources
- John Baillie’s Diary of Private Prayer [free online] [Amazon]
- Neal Plantinga’s Morning and Evening Prayers [Amazon]
- Tim Keller’s daily prayers [pdf] [article]