My Spiritual Disciplines
by Paul ~ August 29th, 2010. Filed under: Paul.(I wrote this for a paper. I thought I would share this. I want to point out that I am a hopeless, often inept sinner who is merely trying to pursue Christ. I strive to be disciplined because of my great love for God and my hatred of sin. I hope these inspire you in seeking to deepen your relationship with Jesus!)
Like any relationship, our relationship with God requires constant disciplined effort. Since our relationship with God is seen through eyes of faith rather than by sight, it often requires more effort than our human relationship. There are many disciplines that we can pursue in our relationship with God, all of which stem out of communicating and communing with God to love Him more (Matt. 23:37). Below I will list various “disciplines” and my personal practice of them.
1) Prayer - Depending on how you define prayer, all the disciplines could be defined under the category of prayer. Our continued communication with God is essential and is something Jesus modeled (Luke 11:1-13, John 17). In my life I have four ways I practice prayer. The first is continuous prayer: I talk to God through the day, invite Him to guide me in my daily efforts, and thank Him for His continuous grace. This is a practice of continually experiencing the presence of God. The second is intercessory prayer: we have a weekly prayer schedule that guides our family intercession for our church, relationships, neighborhood, and family. I also routinely prayer walk our church and neighborhood to intercede for the people there. The third is liturgical prayer: these are things we do regularly as a family that are often repeated, such as the Lord’s prayer before bed or a prayer of thanksgiving before a meal. The fourth is concerted prayer: at least once a week I spend time in concerted prayer for guidance or for God to bring my heart back to His truth.
2) Bible Intake – I see Bible intake as another extension of prayer, because it is essentially listening to God through His Word. Intake of the Word is vitally important for the growth of any Christian (2 Tim. 3:16-17). This intake could be through reading it in the Bible, reading about it in Christian books or commentaries, memorizing, speaking/sharing it to one another, singing it, or hearing it proclaimed or preached. I do a read-the-Bible-in-a-year routine which I try to keep up daily (Here’s the one I am using now, its chronological.). I also spend time each week looking up scripture or reading through an entire book of the Bible. We also have scripture on cards on my desk and hanging up around the house. On our Sabbath nights, my wife and I regularly watch sermons. I also read a bunch of other books, often Christian books expounding on the truths of scripture.
3) Journaling – Journaling is also another extension of prayer that helps focus our thoughts through the process of writing. I regularly journal in a paper journal with my daily Bible reading. I do a routine of copying down a couple verses that hit me (repeat), writing out a prayer in response (respond), and then listing my concerns to God (release). I also keep an online journal of thoughts, inspirations, and ideas.
4) Sharing God’s Word - One of the best ways to absorb God’s Word is to share it with others. I regularly share the Gospel with people, both strangers and friends. I write in my blog and our monthly letter, using the stories of our lives to highlight the truths of scripture. I also regularly counsel people on the phone or e-mail, sharing God’s truth and how it impacts their life.
5) Fasting – Fasting is not about self-denial but is rather about providing better focus for prayer. The regularity of my fasting depends on what is going on at home, etc, but rarely exceeds once a month. I usually have a couple-day fast once a year.
6) Worship - All of life should be worship; however, there are times when we have concerted times of focus upon God. For me, that kind of worship is just prayer usually set to music. I worship congregationally every week and worship through singing multiple times throughout the week.
7) Fellowship and Discipleship – We must continually meet with each other to encourage each other in the faith (Heb. 3:1). I regularly get together with a couple of guys one on one, some for mentoring, others accountability, and others to be mentored. We also partake in a couple of small group fellowships.
8) Service – Christ took upon the form of a servant by coming to earth (Phil 2:7); likewise, we are to practice service to others (Phil. 2:3-4, Luke 22:24-27). I regularly serve my neighborhood, serve in other ministries, and serve at the church.
9) Giving – God gave everything to us, including our ability to make wealth (Dt. 8:17-18). In response we are to be generous (1 Tim. 6:18, 2 Cor. 8:7-15). 10% is a good starting point. We regularly give to our church, individual missionaries, and ministries. We also strive to be generous through practicing hospitality and giving away things we no longer use.
10) Confession - God calls us to confess our sins, both to Him and one another (Jas. 5:16, 1 John 1:9). I regularly confess sins to God and to other Christians – both my wife or my peers.
I am by no means a model saint. I am a sinner and continue to fall short. But I praise God for His continued grace in my life! So don’t follow me… follow Christ! I hope these bless your seeking after Him!