Choosing the right devotional

A devotional is a great guide in your journey of faith. It can help explain specific verses to help you see more clearly what God is trying to tell you in a passage. It can also suggest some practical applications connected to the biblical lessons you are learning or help you understand certain topics, events, or words in the Bible that might be confusing.

Whether you’re getting one for yourself, a family member, or a friend, it’s important to select the kind of devotional that will be most helpful. Here are five simple questions you can ask yourself as you go about choosing a devotional.

Have you prayed for discernment?

If your answer is not yet, take a minute to do so now! If you don’t know where to start, ask God to guide you in selecting a devotional. Paul wrote,” And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” (Philippians 1:9). Paul knew that Christ-followers needed knowledge and depth of insight (or discernment) when it came to spiritual matters—in modern times, that can include choosing a devotional.

Who is the devotional for?

Are you getting a devotional for yourself? Are you getting one for your Mom or Dad? Or are you getting one for a friend or officemate? There are devotionals for men, women, couples, singles, kids and senior citizens. There are also devotionals for students and for professionals. If you are getting a devotional for someone else, think about their concerns and interests. If you are getting one for yourself, what would you like to read about right now?

How long have you (or the person you’re getting a devotional for) been a Christian?

New Christians will probably find shorter devotional with memory verses more helpful. More mature Christians, on the other hand, will appreciate a devotional that looks at certain verses or topics in greater detail. Some people might prefer a devotional that uses a specific Bible translation. Knowing how long a person has been a Christian can help you pick the right devotional for him or her.

How often will you be using it?

Will you be using your devotional every day or every week? Do you want a devotional for a particular season in your life only or for an entire year? Most bestselling devotionals are the yearly ones, but there are devotionals for specific periods of time as well. Think about how much time you will be allotting for prayer and devotions so that you can get the most suitable devotional.

What topics interest you?

Do you enjoy journaling? A journaling devotional might be perfect for you. Do you have a favorite writer? Check if that writer has written a devotional, or if there is a devotional with excerpts from his works. A lot of devotionals focus on different topics ranging from church history to the best known psalms.

Here are several devotionals that you can choose from.

These devotionals are available at OMF Lit and Passages Bookshops, PCBS, National Bookstore, and other bookstores nationwide. It’s also available at our online store passagesbooks.com and Lazada.

Please note that stock availability varies per bookshop. Click on the images to learn more about each of the devotionals and to buy it directly from our online store.

BESTSELLERS

Looking for something familiar for either long-time or new believers? Try some of our best-selling devotionals.