Favorite Spiritual Formation Apps
If you're anything like me, using your phone, tablet, or computer while attempting any kind of spiritual practice can be more of a distraction than anything else. Before I know it, I’m scrolling Instagram or checking my email instead. Sometimes, I find it easier to keep my phone, iPad, and computer in a completely different room when I’m in prayer.
Still, the world we live in today affords us so many opportunities to discover new ways of engaging our spiritual lives and connecting with Jesus, so I wanted to share a few favorite spiritual formation apps with you!
REIMAGINING EXAMEN
Praying the Examen has been a favorite practice for the last few years for me (read my recent blog post about it!). This app has several themes to help guide your Examen, all written by a Jesuit priest. This is probably my favorite app on this list. If you’re looking for an intro to the Prayer of Examen, check it out!
PRAY AS YOU GO
If you enjoy lectio divina and Ignatian spirituality, Pray As You Go is for you! They publish daily guided scripture readings and reflections, including music and prayer prompts — and all stay within 10-15 minutes in length. Their website also offers guided Examens and other excellent resources.
READ SCRIPTURE
Francis Chan teamed up with Tim Mackie and Jon Collins from The Bible Project to provide an excellent app for engaging Scripture and gaining a better understanding of God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation. If you’ve never seen one of the videos from The Bible Project, you’re missing out.
CENTERING PRAYER
From Thomas Keating’s Contemplative Outreach Center, this app is a perfect introduction to the practice of centering prayer. The app includes a timer with alarm sound options (my personal favorite is the singing bowl), background music and sounds, scripture readings for mediation, and more. For those of us who struggle with this practice and need a little help adding centering prayer to our regular rhythms of time in the Lord’s presence, this app is a game-changer.
ENNEAAPP
For all you Enneagram nerds out there, this app allows you to explore all nine Enneagram types. The free version provides access to basic information on each type, while the upgraded version gives you access to subtypes (a.k.a. instinctual variants) and other layers of the Enneagram. I find myself opening this app whenever I’m in a discussion about the Enneagram among friends, especially if someone is still discovering their type and needs a little help.
There are so many great apps out there, and this list is by no means exhaustive. If you have any recommendations not listed, share them with us!