As you consider a Rule of Life for your own growth as apprentice to Jesus, it’s essential to recognize that you already have a plan, whether or not you’re fully aware of it—and whether you feel proud, humbled, or even ashamed by it. This realization may create a desire to realign your life more fully under Jesus’ leadership, updating or rebuilding the approach you’ve already been using.

Reflecting on your current plan may prompt you to rethink it, depending on your answers to questions like:

• What is your plan? What are you actually doing to grow and make healthy choices?

• How is it working? Are you drawing closer to Him or fading away from Him?

• Does it lead you toward confidence and dependence on God rather than yourself?

• Are you embracing a holistic approach (spiritual, relational, mental, emotional, and physical) or are you only focusing on the spiritual?

• Is it shaping you into the likeness of Christ?

• Are you growing in the fruits of the Spirit and maturing in love? Do you see signs of transformation happening?

If your honest answers reveal that your plan falls short of God’s calling, consider letting these guidelines below help you create a plan rooted in Scripture, drawing on timeless wisdom, reliant on God, and empowered by the Spirit.

Steps To Crafting A Rule Of Life

Creating a Rule of Life can bring intentionality and structure to your walk with Christ. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you design a personalized Rule of Life:

Step 1: Reflect on Your Current Life Patterns

• Assess Your Daily Routines: Write down your current habits, routines, and priorities. What does your day-to-day look like? Consider how you spend your time, energy, and resources.

• Evaluate Your Spiritual Practices: Identify what you’re already doing to nurture your spiritual life, like prayer, worship, or community involvement. Reflect on what’s helping you grow and what feels out of alignment.

• Identify What’s Missing or Misaligned: Recognize patterns or areas where you feel disconnected from God, distracted, or overextended. This might include overly busy schedules, distractions, or unhealthy habits.

Step 2: Clarify Your Priorities and Values

• Determine Your Core Values: Ask yourself, “What matters most to me as a follower of Christ?” Some core value examples could include "to love others as Christ loves them", "to take in His Word regularly so that it's truths and revelation become embodied in the way I live", and/or "to meditate on the Gospel regularly so that I can share it with people freely and winsomely." 

• Identify Your Key Relationships: Reflect on relationships that matter most—God, family, friends, and your faith community. What would it look like to invest deeply in these relationships?

• Set Spiritual and Life Goals: Based on your values, create a few goals that you want your Rule of Life to help you accomplish. Think about who you want to become rather than just what you want to do.

Step 3: Organize Your Rule of Life into Key Areas

To make it easier to structure, divide your Rule of Life into key categories. Common areas include:

1. Spiritual Growth: Practices like prayer, Bible reading, worship, and quiet time with God.

2. Emotional and Mental Health: Practices for rest, reflection, and mental well-being.

3. Physical Health: Exercise, sleep, and healthy eating habits.

4. Relationships and Community: Intentional time with family, friends, and community.

5. Purpose and Vocation: Your daily work, calling, or ministry.

6. Intentional Use of Time and Resources: Thoughtful planning of your daily schedule, finances, and energy so that they align with your priorities and values, helping you live purposefully and avoid unnecessary distractions.

7. Personal Growth and Creativity: Opportunities for learning, personal development, and creative expression that help you explore your talents, develop new skills, and foster joy and fulfillment.

8. Rest and Recreation: Time for hobbies, Sabbath rest, and activities that refresh you.

Step 4: Define Simple, Actionable Practices

• Choose Practices for Each Area: For each category, identify a few small, specific practices that align with your priorities. For example:

  • Spiritual Life: Begin each day with a 15-minute devotion and end the week with a time of reflection.

  • Physical Health: Exercise three times a week, and commit to getting 7–8 hours of sleep each night.

  • Relationships: Set aside one evening per week for family time, or schedule regular check-ins with close friends.

• Be Realistic: Make sure these practices are sustainable. Start small, especially if this is new for you, and allow room for growth.

Step 5: Establish Rhythms and Regular Review

• Set Weekly and Monthly Rhythms: Determine which practices are daily, weekly, or monthly. For example, you might set aside time each Sunday evening to review the week, reflect, and plan.

• Schedule Review Times: Every few months, review your Rule of Life to see how it’s working. Ask yourself if the practices are serving you well, or if anything needs adjusting.

Step 6: Stay Flexible and Allow for Growth

• Adapt as Needed: A Rule of Life is not a fixed set of rules but a living framework. As your life changes, or as God leads you, be open to revising practices or priorities.

• Pray for Guidance: Regularly seek God’s guidance in shaping and adjusting your Rule. Listen for ways He may want you to grow or adjust your habits.

Step 7: Live with Intentionality

• Lean into Your Practices: Integrate these practices into your daily life with purpose, not perfection. Trust the process of growth.

• Reflect on Progress and Celebrate Growth: Periodically reflect on how your Rule of Life is helping you grow. Celebrate moments where you notice God’s work and growth in your life.

Crafting a Rule of Life is ultimately about creating a pattern that draws you closer to God and helps you live out your purpose as His disciple. It’s a journey of building a life aligned with Christ’s presence and guidance.