How to Write a Devotional

Devotionals are special writings because they are an expression of what God is showing you as you commune with Him. Devotionals can be journal entries, or shared with others to encourage them on their Christian walk. Writing a devotional is somewhat easy, because it is simply showing what God has taught you. There are some simple steps that can be used for writing your devotional thoughts and experiences.

Things You'll Need

• paper or computer
• Bible

Instructions

1. Pray about what God would have you write. Keep it focused on one idea such as patience, healing, etc. This idea can be from your personal experience, someone else's, or perhaps an occurrence from the Bible. Devotionals are normally shorter readings of encouragement of approximately 200 words.

2. 

   Ask God to lead you to a Scripture verse that will relate to your idea. Begin with a reading from the Bible that relates to your devotional. Perhaps you had or heard about an experience where someone ran away from their life thinking they would be better off leaving everybody and everything. The story of the prodigal son may be a reading that would fit your idea. Try not to make the reading too long, although sometimes to get the whole store, it does need to be a bit longer reading.

3. Begin the devotional with an attention-getting occurrence that brought you to the experience or teaching. Fully describe all the details possible so the reader can step into your shoes, or the shoes of the one who experienced the situation, and understand your experience. What did you (they) see, hear, feel...use your senses in description of the experience.

4. What did you or they lack before God intervened? What did God do to help you learn more about Him? What is the before and after scenario?

5. Where do you go from here? Because of what God did for you, what is your response? Encourage the reader to look further into the idea, but be careful of not preaching your message. You want to share your devotional ideas as a source of encouragement.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice as much as you can, and read others' devotionals.

• Don't preach...just share.