I have a confession to make. I struggle to consistently engage with spiritual disciplines in my life. Now, it’s not for lack of trying, but my efforts always seem to... peter out after a while. Here’s my usual cycle:

I long to grow in my faith, I’m convicted that I’m not where I should be, and the spiritual disciplines seem like the steps to get me from point A to point B. When I begin, I find a sense of energy which translates to feelings of progress, great! But, I inevitably hit an obstacle or my discipline is dethroned by life’s craziness and I falter. I think, “if I can’t do this discipline well enough, is it actually helping me grow?” So, I end up dropping it altogether until the cycle starts up again with a spark of desire and conviction.

All of this is fresh in my heart and mind as we’ve talked in the last few months about reading scripture, our longing for more, and sinful inclination to self-justify. I can see how often I use the spiritual disciplines as a tool to measure my sanctification and thereby prove that I am enough.  

I’m so grateful for the podcast conversation we had, “Spiritual Disciplines: The Receptive Life” and how it helped me reframe the spiritual disciplines and understand their purpose. The spiritual disciplines are not about, “becoming a certain type of person,” but rather showing me what type of person Jesus is!

This has helped me to engage this season of Lenten disciplines with a level of curiosity, asking, “Jesus, how are you showing me your love today?” Now, I’m still pretty much going through the same cycle that I always have. I’m still inconsistent in my disciplines and the familiar narrative is close by, telling me to give up. But as I’ve remembered that the whole purpose is to point me back to the love of Jesus, I’ve even been able to see my faltering and failure as reminders of God’s love.

-   Am I fickle in attending to God in prayer? Christ is faithful, interceding for me, his beloved.

-   Have I shortcut the suffering of my fasting? Jesus suffered unimaginable pain because he loved me.

-   Have I absorbed myself in entertainment, seeking joy? Jesus endured the cross because of his joy in saving me.

 So, ultimately the spiritual disciplines are a tool for measuring. With them we are invited to embark on the life long journey of measuring the length, breadth, width and depth of God’s unfathomable love for us!

Friend, may the spiritual disciplines be a means by which you are drawn deeper and deeper into the love of Jesus Christ.

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