The Spiritual Disciplines are the exercises a Christian uses to build up her spiritual muscles. Just like curls or bench presses, pushups or situps, the spiritual disciplines are tools any Christian can use consistently to get stronger spiritually. Over the next two weeks, I hope to work through some of the most important exercises. Practice these consistently, and over time you will begin to feel your faith grow stronger. You will begin to hear the voice of God everywhere you go.
Why Spiritual Exercises?
I played football in high school. I played, not because I was especially talented or good at it — I wasn’t — I played because I loved the game of football. The running, the strategy, the teamwork, the blocking, punting, kicking, hitting — I loved everything about it. Well … everything except practice workouts and I especially disliked the off-season workouts.
We would start off with a grueling set of calisthenics (which is Greek for torture). We would then move to a series of agility drills in order to hone our coordination (the linemen hated these). We would spend some time in the weight room (where the linemen would get revenge on us skinny wide-receivers). We ended with a regiment of running that was designed to build both endurance and strength (this basically meant we ran until we puked, and then we ran some more)
I enjoyed none of it. I dreaded it all day. I planned my lunch strategically, knowing it was probably going to come back up. I talked myself out of quitting almost every day.
Why did I do it?
Because it was the price I had to pay in order to play football. And I loved the game of football.
Knowing and Loving God
The spiritual exercises are not as physically demanding as my high school football days (although, some of them can be physically demanding), but there is a similar avoidance of them — there is a natural human reaction against anything that takes time, effort, patience, and endurance.
The spiritual disciplines are to Christianity what calisthenics, agility drills, running, and lifting weights are to athletics. They are the price you have to pay to play.
I didn’t do all that grueling work because I loved it — I loved what it did for me on the football field. In the same way, I don’t do the spiritual exercises because I love them, I do them because I love what they do for me.
The spiritual disciplines are a pathway to knowing and hearing God. I do them because I want to know God.
Over the next two weeks, I will be unpacking twelve of the basic spiritual exercises that will get you in shape spiritually and help you grow as a Christian. These are time-tested, ancient spiritual exercises that have helped millions of people connect to God.
The Spiritual Disciplines
Here is a brief summary of what I will cover over the next two weeks. I hope you can check out the blog each day to learn a little more about each of these important spiritual exercises.*
The Inward Disciplines
Prayer — Talking directly to God, expressing your love for Him, sharing your deepest desires, pain, and petitions.
Meditation — Reflecting on the things God is teaching you and listening for the still small voice deep inside.
Fasting — Going without something for a prolonged period of time in order to focus primarily on God.
Study — Reading the Word of God, asking him to speak to you through his Holy Spirit and the writings and teachings of other Christians.
The Outward Disciplines
Simplicity — Purging your life of all that is unnecessary or excessive, in order to depend on God rather than material luxuries.
Solitude — Spending time alone with God away from all distractions in order to achieve higher levels of patience and self-awareness.
Submission — Practicing obedience to God and those he has placed in spiritual authority over you.
Service — Obeying the commands of God to love others as you love yourself, by serving them.
The Corporate Disciplines
Confession — Admitting to God (and trusted friends) specific sins you are aware of, and asking him to forgive you and to help you overcome them.
Worship — Expressing your love for God in community with other Christians.
Guidance — Seeking the wisdom of other Christians who are more spiritually mature than you.
Celebration — Enjoying fellowship with your family, friends, and community by celebrating your love for God and each other.
* these are taken from Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
