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What George Herbert Can Teach Us About Living Faithfully Now

I suspect that all of us can point to people about whom we would say that without them, our lives would be totally different. Most of the time, they are people we have met in person. Sometimes, though, they are people we have never met at all. For me, one of those people is the poet and pastor George Herbert (1593–1633). By the grace of God, his poetry led me to faith over 30 years ago, and he has been a guide and mentor to me ever since.

Herbert is a compelling devotional companion because his poems offer a window into a living relationship with the living God. Herbert writes honestly and vulnerably about joy and gratitude, but also about confusion, lament, rebellion, and spiritual depression. Wherever you find yourself in your walk with God, Herbert can come alongside you because he has been there too.

His poetry does not let us settle for shallow faith; instead, it leads us toward deeper trust, humility, and love for Christ. And at the heart of it all is love. Even in struggle, Herbert reminds us that we are held in the unbreakable love of God.

That is why I think Herbert is the kind of guide many of us need right now. In a time of divided attention, polarization, and deep distrust, Herbert can lead us back towards spiritual wisdom and maturity in Christ. 

I know it may seem unusual to think of a seventeenth-century poet as a spiritual companion. But that is the invitation of this devotional: to come alongside Herbert and let his words lead you deeper into the love of Christ.

*If you’d like to find out more about Herbert, and my devotional, you can take a look at my Substack. If you want to take the plunge and see what it might be like to have Herbert as a mentor, you can use BADEME40 as a permanent 40% off coupon code if you order Love Bade Me Welcome direct from the publisher.