“At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.” (Hebrews 12:11, MSG)
The book of Hebrews says that discipline isn't much fun. Is that an overstatement, or what? I want to draw a distinction between discipline and punishment, however; punishment is a revenge-like reaction to something someone did wrong, whereas discipline is shaping someone for better future behavior. That line I drew might seem awful thin from time-to-time, but it is consistent at the very heart of the matter: punishment deals with past behavior while discipline shapes us for the future.
Paul wrote in Romans, "God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him." (Romans 8:29, MSG)
God has a goal to shape you to be more like Jesus. This helps to accomplish the Jesus-follower’s goal of getting to heaven. Personal discipline is required for God's goal to be accomplished in us, to help us reach our faith goals, too; therefore, we need to spend time getting to know God better. Fortunately, we have some tools to help in this, and they are what we call in the church, Spiritual Disciplines.
Spiritual Disciplines are behaviors of abstinence or engagement that help us connect better with God and others in the task to make us more like Jesus. Some are for us to do in private solitude with the Lord, where others are intended for us to do in communal relationships with other believers, seekers, and skeptics alike. Consider this list (by no means exhaustive) of some different kinds of Spiritual Disciplines…
Disciplines of Abstinence: These are ways of denying ourselves something we want or need in order to make space to focus on, and connect with, God.
- Solitude: Refraining from interacting with other people in order to be alone with God and be found by him. (Solitude is completed by silence.)
- Silence: Not speaking in a quiet place in order to quiet our minds and whole self so we can attend to God’s presence. Also, not speaking so that we can listen to others and bless them.
- Fasting: Going without food (or something else) for a period of intense prayer — the fast may be complete or partial. When you miss that item, focus on God.
- Rest: Doing no work to rest in God’s person and provision; praying and playing with God and others. (God designed this for one day a week. We can practice it for shorter periods, too.)
- Secrecy: Not making our good deeds or qualities known to let God or others receive attention and to find our sufficiency in God alone.This also works in relationship with others by abstaining from gossip and maintaining safe confidentiality.
- Submission: Not asserting ourselves in order to come under the authority, wisdom, and power of Jesus Christ as our Lord, King, and Master. (If you think of this as submitting to a person as unto Christ then it’s a discipline of engagement.)
Disciplines of Engagement: These are ways of connecting with God and other people, conversing honestly with them in order to love and be loved.
- Bible Reading: Trusting the Holy Spirit-inspired words of Scripture as our guide, wisdom, and strength for life.
- Worship: Praising God’s greatness, goodness, and beauty in words, music, ritual, or silence.
- Prayer: Conversing with God about what we’re experiencing and doing together. (As we see in the Lord’s Prayer the main thing we do in prayer is to make requests of our Father for one another.)
- Soul Friendship: Engaging fellow disciples of Jesus in prayerful conversation or other spiritual practices.
- Personal Reflection: Paying attention to our inner self in order to grow in love for God, others, and self.
- Service: Humbly serving God by overflowing with his love and compassion to others, especially those in need.
On Sunday, I shared an acrostic I developed to help people make Christ-centered goals, utilizing their unique shape, while God continues to shape us. This is that acrostic, using the word, GOALS. Make sure your goals are...
- Godly: based on God's plan — remember the Great Commission, which means to serve, and the Great Commandment, which means to love.
- Obedient: doing things God's way as opposed to your way; don't let your appetite be your God, because this is the essence of temptation
- Assessable: make sure your goals are assessable, or in other words, measurable. Make sure you can known when you are making progress or straying off course, as well as doing deep enough as your grow spiritually.
- Love-based: following the law of God, which is to love Him with everything you are and have, and your neighbor as yourself.
- Service-oriented: we are designed to serve, remembering that Jesus said the greatest is the one who serves.
Loving service becomes the vehicle by which we evaluate and exercise our Christ-centered goals. Consider this great quote from Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
As we accept God's work to shape us like Jesus, and we lovingly serve in response to God's grace for us, may we return to the concept of Spiritual Disciplines to help us grow deeper, and go farther, with God. Please let me know if I can help you in this life — and eternal life! — shaping endeavor.
