SR • December 2015
23
SR
The Christian life is measured by cycles of struggle and growth.
Each of us experiences (and should expect to experience) periods
of struggle which cause us to grow deeper in our relationship
with Christ, just as storms and drought cause plants to sink
deeper roots into the ground. But how do we facilitate this
growth, and how do we prepare for the times of testing?
The answer, for followers of Jesus Christ for most of the history of
the Church, has been through the practice of spiritual disciplines.
Put simply, spiritual disciplines are activities that followers of
Christ undertake repeatedly, with perseverance and intent,
which God uses to grow their relationship with Him. Over the
course of years, faithfully seeking the Lord through the disciplines
helps us to be formed spiritually and made strong so that we
have the resources we need to endure difficulties, testing, and
grief.
There is something less than full agreement on which activities
are proper spiritual disciplines, but most of the lists include the
following disciplines:
•
Solitude (and Silence)
, which is taking time alone in the
quiet with the LORD, actively removing distractions so that
we can focus all of our attention on Him.
•
Fasting
, which is foregoing of physical food as an act of
dependence on God for sustenance.
•
Simplicity (or Frugality)
, which is the act of learning to
live with less so that you can be more generous with the
resources God has given you, and be thankful even with
less “stuff.”
•
Chastity
, which is the foregoing of sexual thought or contact
to seek greater intimacy with God.
•
Sacrifice
, which is service to others, often in secret, done
beyond what would be normal, to the point where it costs
us something real, again as an act of dependence on God.
•
Study
, which is immersion of the self in the Word of God
so that we can store it in our hearts until it affects changes
in our thoughts and behaviors.
•
Worship
, which is the cultivation of an attitude of aware-
ness of God’s greatness, which leads to heartfelt response
from us with our entire being.
•
Prayer,
which is the act of being in the presence of God as
we are, without pretense, seeking His guidance as we lay
ourselves bare before Him.
•
Fellowship
, which is our participation in harmony and
support with the other members of Christ’s body.
•
Confession
, which is the marriage of prayer and fellowship
as we lay ourselves bare before God and others in an effort
to make clear our trust in the Gospel for forgiveness and
restoration
•
Accountability (or Submission)
, which is our humble
response to our awareness that we cannot live the lives
God has called us to on our own without the support of the
body of Christ, as we willingly submit to the guidance and
correction of others.
These disciplines, when employed under the guidance and
leading of the Holy Spirit, can aid us in following after Jesus
Christ and store up spiritual resources which can support us
when we encounter obstacles. If you are regularly struggling in
your walk, it is worth prayerfully considering if engaging in one
or more of these disciplines would benefit you and the cause of
Christ.
It is the goal of the Christian Education Council to aid you in
your efforts in these areas. Though we do not have available
resources in each of these areas, we do encourage you to talk
to your local church pastor or contact us so that we can en-
courage you and help you find your way to helpful resources.
At present, we are encouraging everyone to engage in our
Scripture Memory Program, as it provides a means of achieving
the discipline of study as we hide God’s Word in our hearts.
Please contact us if you have questions or need resources!
May God aid us as we all find our way back, repeatedly and
regularly, to Him.
Christian Education Council
Rev. Nicholas J. Kersten
Director of Education and History
In Praise of Spiritual Disciplines
You never go away from us,
yet we have difficulty in
returning to You.
Come, Lord, s r us up
and call us back.
Kindle and seize us.
Be our fire
and our sweetness.
Let us love. Let us run.
— Augustine of Hippo
in
Confessions
“
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