Spiritual Disciplines
Tools that God uses to help us
Discipline for me is a four-letter word. I don’t like it. I receive and perceive it as punishment. When it is coming from someone else. Ironically when it is coming from me, self-discipline, I perceive it as a great strength, strong will power, an attribute, and even a gift.
Take losing weight for example. Need I say more? Is anyone with me on this? It is SO HARD and impossible if you don’t have discipline. I’ve been losing this battle since I turned 50 but right now, I am so determined to get it together, to lose the weight I have gained that I even turned to my doctor and said “help me get my discipline back.” So, she is helping me. She had me download the FitnessPro fitness tracker app, I log every single thing I put into my mouth, I log every exercise and MUST do 5 HIIT trainings a week plus walk daily….and you know what? Since she gave me the app, since she is requiring me to come and see her every month, since I know she is going to ask me tough questions and hold me accountable, I am doing it! She gave me a tool, a discipline, to HELP ME!!! I responded with a huge thank you, my cooperation in the process, and my willingness to do the hard things.
Isn’t this exactly like God? He has laid out for us disciplines, tools, to help us on our spiritual journey. These tools are designed to give us roots, to grow our character, to shore up our determination to run our race, and yet…not always, but sometimes I balk at them or I ignore them. Let me ask you some questions that I really am just asking myself…to bring this home.
Have you ever gotten to the end of your day and realized (or maybe not realized at all) that you didn’t even talk to God today? You have just ignored the discipline of prayer. Ok, let me just stop here. For some of us, like me, praying doesn’t come naturally. This one gets hard. My mind wanders. I start going through my to-do list, all the things I need to do. I start replaying conversations I had. My brain just doesn’t do well with sitting there. Deep, intentional prayer is a challenge unless I’m facing something hard, then it’s easy to cry out to God, but the daily, intimate conversations with Him are hard for me. Ya think I need some discipline in my life? Yep. For sure. Is anybody with me?
Have you ever made it to the end of your day and realized (or maybe not realized at all) that you didn’t spend any time today reading God’s Word? It is a discipline to daily read and meditate on God’s Word.
Have you ever said something you wish you wouldn’t have said? It is a discipline to have self-control.
Have you ever lost your cool? Do you ever find yourself feeling a little overcome by your anger and you can’t even figure out where it’s coming from? It is a discipline to not get angry.
All of these areas, and more, are WHY God gives us tools, disciplines to help us. The end result is a deeper, more meaningful, more intimate and intentional relationship with Him. That’s His heart for you and for me.
So, what do we do? We PRACTICE disciplines. Here are some things I have used over the years to help me.
When I don’t know what to pray, how to pray, how to stay focused on prayer- I read a Psalm. That’s what they are really – prayers, hearts poured out to God about the good, the bad and the ugly. Raw truth. Read a Psalm and make it personal. Replace the pronouns with your name or I…make it yours.
When I’m struggling to be in the Word because I’m just not feeling like I’m getting anything out of this or understanding what I’m reading, I grab a trusted devotional and read the passage the author suggests, then read their comments on it, then journal my own comments on it.
When I’m reading any passage in the Bible, always ask:
What did God say?
Why did He say it? What’s going on around this verse that would cause these words?
What does it mean for me?
How is this showing up in my life today?
My mouth – oh my mouth! Do the prayer of examine every so often – sit at the end of your day and mentally review your day. Ask the Lord to show you things you maybe didn’t see in yourself throughout the day. Where did you say things you shouldn’t have, what was going on, look around that conversation a bit...start to peel back some of the layers of your actions...and take responsibility for them. Who do you need to apologize to? Where do you need to ask for forgiveness? What do you need to pay attention to? Ask God to show you these things. This is not about guilt or shame or condemnation...this is about growing, maturing, being pleasing in God’s sight. It takes a truck load of discipline to do a self-examination…David walks us through it when he says in Psalm 139 NIV:
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Disciplines are tools that God uses, that God gifts us with, to help us grow. Sometimes I need to remind myself of that so I will approach those disciplines like I approach my FitnessPro app – all in, ready to do what it takes and thankful for the accountability. Will you join me?
Robin Smith has a passion for equipping people to see their strengths and to lead with their unique God given gifts. Robin has always had a strong tie to her church, community and work. That tie is in the form of relationships. Her greatest joy is to do life together, encouraging, strengthening and challenging each other to be their very best and reach their full potential. Robin has been the Program Director for Refuge for Women since February 2017. She has overseen all the operations of our safe house and spent her days inside the home building relationships with the residents and helping them not only see their potential, but overcome the obstacles standing in the way of them reaching their potential. For15 years, prior to coming to Refuge for Women, Robin worked in higher education, focusing on developing student leaders and equipping students with the skills they need to be successful in the pursuit of their education and careers. Prior to that, Robin was a Salvation Army officer and served in full time ministry in various locations throughout the Midwest. Robin’s focus was always serving, equipping and developing others. In 2006, the Lord began to work in Robin’s heart and plant a love for women who are trapped in the sex-industry. This passion was formed through Robin’s involvement with student mission trips to Las Vegas. In 2010, Robin began the Hearts for Jackson ministry in Jackson, Michigan reaching out to women who work in strip clubs. Robin’s heart was broken for these women and she started this ministry to bring them hope and love with a goal of showing the love of Jesus in a practical way. Each month, Robin led a group of women from her church into the strip clubs where they simply loved on the women. They brought them gifts, told them they were special & loved and offered a listening ear. Robin brings her heart and passion to Refuge for Women and is excited to be stepping into this new role of City Director where she will be partnering with the local churches, Las Vegas community, and most importantly, Jesus, in this crucial ministry. Robin and her husband Homer have been married for 33 years and currently reside in Henderson, NV. They attend the ChurchLV and they enjoy God’s creation by hiking, walking, or simply enjoying the sun with a good book. They have two children and three grandchildren. Robin holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan and a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Development, also from Spring Arbor University.