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Can’t I just read my Bible and pray? Do I really need to worry about spiritual disciplines?
When we hear the word discipline, something deep within us balks. There’s a negative connotation to this word, sometimes associated with punishment, and almost always associated with discomfort. It’s not something we want to think about when we are thinking about our spiritual lives. Our spiritual life is supposed to bring comfort, right? Discipline definitely does not equal comfort.
We often hear discipline referred to when we are talking about raising children, or when we observe individuals who are lacking in some area of their life or career, or when we want to lose a few pounds.
It’s no wonder we may wrinkle our noses at the first mention of it!
Discipline is uncomfortable, it’s usually difficult, and it often takes longer than we want it to.
The word discipline comes from the Latin word disciplina, which means “instruction given, teaching, learning, knowledge,” and that word originates from another Latin word: disciplus (disciple in English), which means “pupil, student, follower.” A disciple is “one who follows another for the purpose of learning.” In its original sense, discipline is what we are learning from the one we are following.
In its original sense, discipline is what we are learning from the one we are following.
Spiritual discipline is at the heart of the Christian life, and it has been from the very beginning!
Why do we need to use the word discipline instead of “practice” or “habit”? Aren’t they all just synonyms? Is it really so important which word we use?
First, we have to remember that we are called to be disciples and to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19)
To be a disciple means we have to learn from the one we are following – and while practicing is often a part of learning, it’s not the full picture.
Practicing isn’t just what I do on my own, or in a group setting under a mentor, but it’s usually what I do after instruction has happened – when I have the opportunity to apply what I have learned.
Habits are the result of consistent practice, but they aren’t the practice or the learning. Spiritual discipline is learning to be like Jesus by spending time in His presence, by studying His word, and by following his commands. It takes practice to do those things well, and the more we practice them, the more likely we are to develop the habits of doing them consistently.
Spiritual discipline is learning to be like Jesus by spending time in His presence, by studying His word, and by following his commands.
What do spiritual disciplines look like in the Bible? Jesus models the spiritual disciplines of solitude and prayer. Throughout the Gospels, there are numerous times when Jesus “steals away” to pray. The early church started with practicing daily the spiritual disciplines of fellowship, prayer, and studying the Word. (Acts 2:42)
Throughout the following centuries, Christians have understood that the spiritual disciplines are practices that awaken us to God’s presence in our lives, strengthen our ability to trust in Him when things seem impossible, and deepening our relationship with Him. In our crazy helter-skelter world of overscheduled, overstressed, overcommited lives, we need spiritual disciplines more than ever.
In Ephesians, Paul tells the church members not to be “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love…grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (4:14-15)
How often do the circumstances of life cause you to feel that you are being tossed and forth by the waves? How are you at speaking the truth in love? Are you growing into the mature body – the corporate body of Christ? Just a few verses later, Paul talks about how the Ephesians are not acting in the manner that lines up with the way they “learned Christ” (4:20).
Let me take a Bible nerd moment and share some Greek with you. The word Paul uses in this verse suggests that “learning Christ” is similar to the way you learn a new language or a culture – a type of learning that includes both knowledge AND practice. If you’ve ever taken a foreign language, you know that if you don’t continue to practice it, you can lose it. In the same way, if we aren’t “practicing Christ,” we are in danger of losing our relationship with God.
But how do we “practice Christ”?
What is the practice that helps us “learn Christ?” Is there only one, or are there multiple practices we can be working on?
What gives us the “cultural knowledge” of what it means to be a disciple of Christ?
I’m so glad you asked!
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring some spiritual disciplines that will help us “learn Christ” so we can develop into disciples that reflect our teacher.
We’ll start with three spiritual disciplines that are key to developing a healthy faith-life, and then explore some additional ones that can help us to grow in new ways. Be sure to check back in each Tuesday for the next post!
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The classic standard on Spiritual Disciplines returns with updates on life 40 years after its initial publication. Foster’s approach to the spiritual disciplines through the categories of “inward, outward, and corporate” interaction remains relevant and a must-read for anyone who is looking to dive deeper into the spiritual disciplines.