The Spiritual Disciplines: Door To Liberation
I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified" . 1 Cor. 9:27 NLT- Apostle Paul
Instant gratification, superficiality is not only a curse of this age; it's highly responsible for spiritual decadence of our time. Anything of value is not on the surface of the earth. The treasures of the earth are buried deep beneath the earth's surface. The desperate need of the hour is deep people. The bible says only the deep calls unto the deep. The classical disciplines of the spiritual life is a call; an urgent call to move us beyond the surface living and into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realms. John Woodmen admonishes " it is good for thee to dwell deep, that thou mayest fell and understand the Spirits of the people". Spiritual disciplines are for everyone.
Spiritual disciplines are not hard, they are not meant to terminate our joy. Actually, joy is the keynote of all disciplines. The primary requirement is a longing heart after God. O God my soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Pslam 42:1-2
There are two main difficulties to conquer, to those who desire to explore the world of Spiritual disciplines. The first is Philosophic. The material world is too real to us and many doubt their ability to reach beyond the physical world.
The Second difficulty is a practical one. Most men do not know how to explore the inward life. The Bible called people to such disciplines as fasting, prayer, worship and celebration but gave us instructions about how to do them. The reason was that it was a common knowledge among believers in the Bible days. It is not true in our days.
Slavery and Ingrained Habits
Ish. 57:20. The wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. The natural motion of our lives is like that product mire and dirt. The law of touch not and taste cannot successfully combat the habit. The "Will Worship" may produce an outward show of success for a time but in the cracks and crevices of our lives, our deep inner condition will eventually be revealed. The will has the same deficiency as the law. It only addresses the external. Inner transformation is not possible with will power.
The Spiritual Disciplines: Open The Door
The needed change is within us; a gift of righteousness from God. Rev.5:17. We may move to other extreme for this breathtaking insight. We may believe there is nothing in our part to do. God has given to us the Disciplines of the Spiritual life as a means of receiving this grace.
Apostle Paul states " he who sows to his own flesh will from his own flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life ". .
Spiritual disciplines are ways of sowing to the Spirit. By themselves, they can't do anything. They can only get us to the place we can easily receive God's grace for inner transformation. It's grace because it's free and it's disciplines because there is something to do. Grace cannot be earned but to grow in grace, we need Spiritual discipline. Spiritual growth is the purpose of the Disciplines.
We can't again have any form of hatred, bitterness etc. Divine love has been poured into our hearts in our unguarded moments. There is a spontaneous flow from the inner sanctuary of our lives of love, joy, peace etc. We don't need to work hard of being good, kind and lovely. We are good and kind. Just as natural motives of our lives.i.e the unregenerated man produces mire and dirt, now we produce righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost.
The Way of Death: Turning the Disciplines into Laws bound disciplines breathe death. When Spiritual disciplines degenerate into law, they are used to manipulate and control others. For Spiritual Disciplines to be a blessing and not a curse, we must lay down the drive to always mange others; we simply refuse to judge others. We must genuinely believe that inner transformation is not of God's grace. We will simply refuse to judge others and we will live to help carry other's burdens.
There is always the danger to compare ourselves with others and turn Spiritual Disciplines into laws. The master has promised to be an ever present Teacher and Guide. If we are willing to listen to him, we will receive the instruction to keep on straight path.
Our World needs genuinely changed people. We are the salt of the earth. The Spiritual Disciplines are tools for inner transformation of our lives. We should give it our best shot. We are to win our World for Christ; our lives are to glorify God. Our lives should so much shine that men will give glory to our Father who is in Heaven.