Encouragement for Today - August 22, 2025

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August 22, 2025

Growing in Your Faith
ZACH WINDAHL

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“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

If you’re anything like me, your day gets busy, and spending time with Jesus keeps making its way further down your to-do list. There are just too many distractions: family, work, social media scrolling. But when we intentionally seek God with all of our hearts, as He says in Jeremiah 29:13, everything changes for us: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

The key is creating what I call “holy habits.” If you and I seek to grow 1% closer to Jesus every day, we will be unrecognizable in a year. Here are three holy habits within my daily routine that you could try too:

1. Prayer.

Jesus prayed, and we should too. Just as any healthy relationship is two-sided, it’s the same with God. Prayer is meant to be a conversation with Him. It’s how we talk and listen to God, growing closer to Him. One way to pray is by using the A.C.T.S. Model:

• Adoration: Praise God for who He is.
• Confession: Confess your sins and where you’ve fallen short.
• Thanksgiving: Thank God for how He is moving in your life and for His goodness to you.
• Supplication: Ask God for the things you or others need.

The key is to spend time communicating with God. Don’t worry about getting it “right”; just begin.

2. Bible study.
By studying the Bible, we begin to understand God’s heart and how to apply His wisdom to our lives. There are many ways to do this, but one is the Inductive Bible Study Method:

• Observation: Read a portion of Scripture and make observations about the text. What is the main focus? What stood out to you?
• Interpretation: This is where you dig deeper. Who wrote this book of the Bible? Who were they writing to? What is the cultural context?
• Application: Ask yourself, How can I live this out today? What do I need to change?

Studying the Bible helps us get to know Jesus and learn how our lives can reflect Him to the world.

3. Worship.

Worship isn’t just listening to or singing Christian music; it’s how we express our love and honor to God. Worship music lyrics are often inspired by Scripture and directed toward God. This gives us words to say to Him as an act of worship. It’s a way of keeping our focus on Him.

The goal isn’t to be perfect in these practices but to make progress consistently. Start small, do what is manageable for you, and eventually you’ll crave time with Jesus because you’ll feel the difference: the peace, clarity, and hope. Jesus loves you. He wants to spend time with you. And when you seek Him, you will find Him.

Dear God, help me to build holy habits that draw me closer to You daily. Even when life is chaotic, increase my desire for You. Change me from the inside out. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Feeling lost in the Bible? Let’s change that. Pick up a copy of Zach’s new book, The Bible, Simplified: Learn the Story, Live the Story, to become confident in your understanding of Scripture.

ENGAGE

Make sure you connect with Zach on Instagram for daily encouragement to help you grow in your faith.

Enter to WIN your very own copy of The Bible, Simplified by Zach Windahl. To celebrate this book, Zach’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, August 25, 2025.}

FOR DEEPER STUDY

1 Timothy 4:7b-8, “Instead, train yourself to be godly. ‘Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come’” (NLT).

Which of the three holy habits above do you want to incorporate into your daily routine this week? Who can you share this devotion with today to help them grow in their faith?

We’d love to hear from you — share your thoughts in the comments!

© 2025 by Zach Windahl. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org