September 8, 2011

Can a Modern Woman Practice Spiritual Disciplines?

As I venture into part two of this discovery, be sure to go to yesterday's post to catch up on our discussion!

I think many would say that their view of the Spiritual Disciplines might line up with thinking of a monk's life in a monastery!  Do you think of a silent lifestyle, praying 10 hours a day and eating only vegetables?  Is it really for me, an every day ordinary, modern christian woman?

YES!

As my faith walk has grown, and I'm sure yours as well, we are ready for bigger and better pieces of a life with Christ. 

  • 1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV

    I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
  • Hebrews 5:12 NIV

    In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
  • Hebrews 5:14 NIV

    But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
So if you have been walking with Christ for a while, you should be eating solid food! While reading this book, Intimate Faith. A Woman's Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines, I discovered that as my faith walk has grown over the years, I was already practicing many of these disciplines in my life!  Let's look at them.

  • submission
  • humility
  • study
  • simplicity 
  • sacrifice
  • fasting
  • chastity
  • secrecy
  • solitude
  • silence
  • prayer
  • meditation
  • service
  • fellowship
  • confession
  • worship
  • celebration
If you are a new believer in Christ, this list may look intimidating and difficult.  Be encouraged!  As your life in Christ matures, many of these items will naturally find a place in your daily life.  If you are a seasoned believer in Christ, you can probably look at this list and see where your faith and obedience has grown.

The disciplines are not meant as a list to check off like a to-do list.  Instead I have discovered that through the practicing of each of these gifts, I grow closer to God.  I can't help be lean into Him, celebrating, worshiping, praying and meditating on who He is in my life.  If we're living a biblical life, these things come naturally.

I'd like to encourage you to research the Spiritual Disciplines and find the peace and hope that resides inside each one. Allow them to bring you closer and closer to the heart of  God.   If you've read through the new testament, you'll notice that each of these were practices of Jesus.  Now that is an example that I want to follow!

2 comments:

  1. One of my favorite books on the disciplines ... my copy is dog-eared, underlined, highlighted, and often quoted!! :)

    P.S. I'm doing a series on the spiritual disciplines as they relate specifically to a mother's heart on Parenting from the Overflow. Wednesdays in Sept/Oct. :)

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  2. Lately my husband and I have been reading through Mark and I have been making a list of everything Jesus was or did. It has been such a blessing to see it written out, because that is what I want to strive for, He was sent on earth to be our example. Discipline is so hard at times, but blessing is guaranteed, and peace of mind follows. Thanks for sharing =)

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