A rule of life is a short, written set of practices you choose in advance so the important things happen on purpose: prayer, Scripture, rest, work, care for your body, and time with your people. Christians have used rules for more than 1,500 years. It is a structure for staying close to Christ, never a way to earn His favor.
Most men already live by a rule. They just did not write it. The phone decides when the day starts, the inbox decides what matters, and God and family get whatever is left. A rule of life is the decision to write a different one.
This article is part of the Christian Morning Routine series.
A Simple Definition
The word comes from the Latin regula, the root of "regular" and "ruler." A rule in this sense is a standard you measure your days against, not a list of prohibitions.
Teachers often compare it to a trellis, the frame that holds a vine off the ground so it can bear fruit. The trellis does not produce a single grape. It only keeps the vine where the sun can reach it. In the same way, a rule produces nothing by itself. It keeps you where Christ does the work.
"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." — John 15:5 (NLT)
Where It Came From
Rules began as shared agreements for Christian communities. Augustine wrote one for communities in North Africa around the year 400. Benedict of Nursia wrote the most influential one in the sixth century: 73 short chapters that ordered a monk's day around prayer, work, reading, and rest.
For most of church history a rule was written for a community. A personal rule borrows the idea for one man and one household. The purpose has not changed. It is still a way of deciding in advance how you will stay close to God.
Is a Rule of Life Biblical?
The phrase is not in Scripture. The pattern is everywhere in it. Faithful people in the Bible had fixed practices and kept them under pressure.
"But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." — Daniel 6:10 (NLT)
"As usual" and "as he had always done" are the words of a man with a rule. The crisis did not create Daniel's prayer life. It revealed one that was already in place.
"Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray." — Mark 1:35 (NLT)
One warning belongs here. A rule kept to impress God or other men has turned into the thing Paul fought. You are not accepted because you kept your rule. You keep a rule because you are already accepted in Christ and want to stay near Him.
"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." — Galatians 5:1 (NLT)
What Goes in a Rule of Life
Rules vary, but most cover the same six areas. One line for each is enough to start.
To see these six lines filled in, read the seven sample rules written for different seasons of a man's life.
Rule, Routine, Goal, or Resolution?
The four get confused. They do different jobs.
| The other thing | How a rule of life is different |
|---|---|
| A routine is what you happen to do, often on autopilot. | A rule is chosen in advance and reviewed on purpose. |
| A goal is a finish line you reach and then leave behind. | A rule has no finish line. It describes how you live on the way. |
| A resolution is a burst of willpower aimed at one habit. | A rule covers your whole life and is sized for your worst week. |
| A schedule tells you where to be. | A rule tells you what matters when the schedule breaks. |
Give your rule a place to live
A rule only works if you see it every day. The free 10XF Planner gives you a daily alignment page, a weekly plan, and a monthly review where the rule gets checked against your real week.
Get the Free PlannerHow to Write Your First Rule
- Start with what you already do. Write down the practices you actually keep. That is your current rule, whether you like it or not.
- Add one line per area. Six lines. Give each a time and a place.
- Cut it down. Remove anything you would not keep in your worst week.
- Show it to someone. Your wife or a brother will see what you missed and will ask you about it later.
- Review it every quarter. Seasons change. A rule that fit last year may be crushing you now.
The Rule of Life Builder asks these questions in order and gives you a one-page rule to print. It takes about five minutes.
Nobody drifts into a life of prayer, a strong marriage, or a rested soul. Those are built, one kept practice at a time, by men who decided beforehand what mattered.
Let's get to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rule of life in simple terms?
A rule of life is a short written list of the practices you have decided to keep, such as when you pray, read Scripture, rest, work, exercise, and spend time with family. It is chosen in advance so the important things do not get crowded out by the urgent ones.
Is a rule of life a Catholic practice?
It began in early Christian communities and was developed in monasteries, long before the Reformation. Protestants have used the idea too, including John Wesley and the early Methodists. A rule of life is a method for ordering your days around Christ. It is not tied to one tradition and it does not replace Scripture.
How often should I change my rule of life?
Review it every quarter and rewrite it whenever your season changes: a new baby, a new job, an illness, retirement. Between reviews, keep it steady. A rule that changes every week is only a mood.
What is the difference between a rule of life and a morning routine?
A morning routine covers the first hour of your day. A rule of life covers the whole week, including your work, your family, your body, and your Sabbath. Most rules include a morning routine as one line among six.