Spiritual Disciplines

Physical strength and maturity parallels spiritual strength and maturity. Physically speaking, we are born with physical bodies, and we then choose to strengthen these bodies with nutrition and exercise or weaken these bodies through a lack of nutrition and exercise. Spiritually speaking, we experience spiritual birth followed by a choice for healthy or unhealthy spiritual growth. Jesus made it clear that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Or put another way, we must experience a spiritual birth. In another place we read that if anyone is in Christ, “he is a new creation; The old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This spiritual birthing of a new creation creates a spiritual need that parallels our physical needs. Exercise, nutrition, and rest might be referred to as physical disciplines. Spiritual disciplines are the activities and experiences that strengthen ourselves spiritually just as physical disciplines strengthen ourselves physically. The authentic follower of Christ will give careful thought to what he or she is doing to strengthen or weaken the new creation within. How am I feeding myself spiritually? What am I doing that gives strength and vitality to the ‘new me’ that God has birthed within me? And at times most importantly, are there things I’m doing that are weakening the new creation in me? Is there a sort-of ‘junk food’ I’m filling my life with that is weakening the person I truly do want to be? It’s not uncommon for people to experience a surge of growth when they initially entrust their lives to Christ. Growth is expected in a newborn. This growth will diminish greatly, though, if spiritual disciplines are not faithfully engaged.