What is WILAG?
It’s not the latest Nintendo game, nor is it what happens when little people get tired. WILAG (WEE-lag) is a simple technique that has energized my quiet time. I’m excited to share it with you in the hopes it will breathe new life and power into your devotional time, too.
WILAG stands for What I Learned About God. Here’s how it works: Every morning, before I conclude my time of Bible reading, I ask myself, In light of what I just read,WILAG? What have I Learned About God? This may seem like an overly-simplistic question, but it’s crucial for several reasons.
First, it’s easy to open our Bibles, read a section, and close them again without really taking something away—something we can meditate on all day long. How often have you read a passage of Scripture and ten minutes later struggled to recall what you’d read? Me too. WILAG can help by forcing us to read purposefully.
Second, God’s designed his Word to be useful. But like healing ointment or nourishing food, God’s Word only works if we apply it. Reading without thoughtful introspection and application is like glancing at a banquet table laden with food instead of sitting down and digging in. Asking myself WILAG makes me stop and ponder. It encourages me to mentally sift through what I just read to find a nugget of God’s character.
Third, WILAG helps me fall more in love with God. When I was dating my husband, every time we were together I saw new aspects of his character. When I watched him interact with my younger sister, I discovered he was kind. When I heard him share his faith, I discovered he was concerned about the lost. When I saw him kiss his mother, I discovered he was tender.
Every attribute I saw in my husband made me fall more and more in love with him. The same thing happens when I ask myself WILAG after reading a passage of Scripture. WILAG in the story of the prodigal son shows me God’s unconditional love. WILAG in the story of Joseph shows me his sovereignty over circumstances. WILAG in the story of Lazarus shows me his power over death. Every attribute of God I discover makes me fall more and more in love with him.
Finally, WILAG gives me something to share. Every Christmas I drop money in the Salvation Army kettles. This year, I encountered a bell ringer at least four times before I donated. Why? Because I seldom carry cash. I had money at home, but it did the nice lady standing outside Wal Mart trying to fill her kettle absolutely no good, because I didn’t have it with me and readily available.
The same thing happens with biblical truth. If I read it early in the morning and then leave it at home, I have nothing to give when I encounter a needy soul. If I’ve asked myself WILAG at the end of my quiet time and written it down in my journal, I can recall more easily what I’ve learned about God. Easy recall makes for easy sharing. I just reach into my mental WILAG pocket and pull out a spiritual truth.
It’s been my experience that God will often show me a truth about himself during my early morning quiet time and later give me the perfect opportunity to share it with someone. If I’ve WILAGed, I’m ready.
If your devotional time has gotten a little stale, I encourage you to try WILAG. Read a passage of Scripture, ask yourself what have I learned about God?, and write it down in a journal. Think about it during the day, and be ready to share it. Most likely, God will send someone across your path who also needs what God has shown you about himself.
Now it’s your turn. What technique have you used to energize your devotional time? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
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