Spiritual Disciplines | An Introduction
The first step in the life of the Christian is to submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. From then on, the Christian grows in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, for all of our change in heart as Christ restores and reforms those who come to him, growing closer to God runs counter to everything our flesh instinct desires. Growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ involves intentional discipline to shape our hearts, minds, and souls to reflect the nature of the Risen Lord.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV
The Spiritual Disciplines are about the rhythms of our life that all we think, feel, and do express the greatness and glory of God. Out of this, we beat our bodies spiritually to shape them into the instruments God has called us to be. Furthermore, this disciplines stem from a deeply rooted love of God, which serves as the foundation for everything we do and our very being. We do not discipline our lives in order that God might love us, He already does. We discipline our lives because Christ’s love has freed us from the desires of our flesh and established our feet on the foundation of His presence.
Approaching The Disciplines
This series will pull heavily from the highly influential book The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, specifically for how he sorts and organizes the disciplines. Foster classifies the various disciplines according to how they express themselves; inward, outward, and corporate, which we will keep the relatively the same structure.
- Inward. These disciplines look inside of the heart to see the inner workings of our desires and passions. We do these in the confines of our own room during our one on one time with the Lord. Engaging the heart can be a scary or intimidating process but one of the more vital things we can do. God must have access to our whole heart to renew and transform us from the inside out.
- Outward. These disciplines are the outward expression of the faith in both the positive and the negative. They mold our actions according to the faith we hold but in what we do and what we do not do. Too often people ignore the outward disciplines under the guise of supposed grace. To be clear, we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. But our actions reveal the strength of our faith and discipline our actions to seek and serve the Lord.
- Upward Together. Finally, the third section are what Foster refers to as the corporate disciplines. While this accurately depicts the communal nature of these disciplines, we cannot forget the object of our worship; God Almighty. The body of Christ should go together but they should go together towards God.
As we go through the Spiritual Disciplines in this series, the goal is not to be exhaustive in our approach or explanation, but merely to give the basics for our understanding. As a follower of Christ, be encouraged to try the disciplines, to learn more about them, and to work through them with someone else in mutual uplifting and encouragement. Furthermore, you are encouraged to read The Celebration of Discipline, with the accompanying workbook, by Richard Foster and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard. These books have stood the test of time and continue to be instrumental to the spiritual growth of those seeking to position their lives in worship of God.
