Skip to main content

Spiritual Discipline

Have you ever found yourself aimlessly perusing the internet or social media? Just the other day I was scrolling through Twitter looking at articles about Ukraine. As I read, I felt my heart beat increase. I could physically feel anxiety from what I was reading. 

It just so happened that I was doing this when I was supposed to be reading my devotional. In the morning I like to read a short devotional to get the day started. This particular day, however, I chose to see what was taking place in Ukraine. 

As I was hit with my anxious feelings, I drew back to one of my earlier writings titled “Wrong App.” However, this time I was moved differently. It made me reflect on the term spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines can be thought of as the practices we participate in that help us grow in our relationship with God. They include Bible reading, meditation and prayer, serving, worshiping together, and many others. 

Some use the term spiritual practices but I prefer spiritual disciplines. It reminds me that I have to be disciplined and intentional in my actions to do my part to build this friendship with my Jesus. Proverbs 29:17 says, "Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire."

Discipline provides guidelines. As a friend stated, it is like guard rails on a road. If we lose focus and swerve off the road, it helps to push us back to the road. When we are disciplined in our focus driving we don't need the guardrails. We stay on the road because we are focused. Our relationship with Jesus is just the same. The spiritual disciplines push us back on track.

In the case of my experience reading Twitter about Ukraine when I was supposed to be with Jesus, I have to wonder if it was less of a lack of discipline and more of a product of spiritual discipline. Let me tell you what I mean by that. We have a short attention span in the US. News hits the airwaves at a pace like we've never seen before. It seems we have a propensity to shift from one emergency to the next without much delay.  

The prominent subject of my prayers in the last couple of weeks has been peace and specifically peace in the Ukraine. Through these prayers, God had revealed to me His peace transcends a battlefield or war. While I pray for a stop of battle and the saving of lives, I am reminded my prayers are too small. His peace transcends the dire times of our lives. His peace is greater than the circumstances which may seem so bleak and may seem like there is no hope. 

Just maybe, what I thought was a stray from my spiritual discipline was God reminding me of what true peace is. Maybe it was a reminder that the salvation He seeks through His Son is more than a human life. Maybe it was a reminder to remain in prayer, but pray bigger. Maybe it was a reminder that spiritual disciplines aren’t a routine or item on a “to do” list but have purpose for His kingdom. 

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Matt


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Anchor House Week 4: Strawberries

This week I had the chance to come through on a promise I made to one of our regular ships. When they were in port last we were hanging out in the break room with the crew. Somehow we got on the subject of strawberries, Florida strawberries of course. I made the bold statement that Florida strawberries were the best. Trish followed up by clarifying that Plant City’s are the best. She had a point that is hard to argue with. In the discussion, I told the seafarer that I would bring them some strawberries next time they were at Port Manatee. Sure enough the next time they were in port I ran to Detweillers, first thing in the morning, and picked up a half of a flat of some of the most beautiful strawberries you've ever seen. They were big, red, perfectly placed in the container in a neat and orderly fashion. They looked magnificent. As we approached the ship, the seafarer whom I had made the promise to waved and said, “You remembered!” After we boarded the ship, we t...

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...

Do the Work

Sometimes I sit down to write and it just seems like I am trying to write with a pen without ink. There is simply nothing productive coming from the activity. Other times, God just pours it out on me. The ideas flow and the message comes together with ease. More often than not it's the former rather than the latter. It seems God likes to make us work for it. The ones I have to work a bit harder on become the ones I like the most. I think we appreciate the things we have to work for more than the things that come easy. Our LifeGroup recently read about the Miraculous Catch of Fish. You know the story where Peter and his buddies have been out fishing all night and came back to shore completely empty handed. That next morning, Jesus asks them to take him out in the boat. Once out on the water, He has them put the nets back down and they bring in loads and loads of fish. So many fish that two boats almost sank.  I guess Jesus could have just made the fish jump into th...