Drawing Closer to God
[You Know You Should]
Practices That Need Practicing
Christians through the ages have been unified in finding practices and disciplines that move them toward being lovers of God so they could be doers for God.
Disciplines are not necessarily things you get good at. Success may be found in finding the imperfections of inner-self and therefore calling upon God to make up the difference so he in fact, gets credit for what we accomplish. The value of disciplines is more in the attempt than the perfecting. They are things you struggle at. They are things you practice intentionally, persistently. Disciplines arise out of discipline and discipline grows in you from disciplines. It is circular but with a caution to be faithful to Christ at each pendulum swing in the process of becoming and doing.
Be the person. Then, show, by your good deeds, that you are the person.
To perform disciplines, there is not enough natural interest or desire in your own soul. There is not enough time or space in your schedule. There are not enough others around you doing them. There is much of swallowing pride, confessing inadequacy, acknowledging inability. Nonetheless, pursue God.
- Discipline is not necessarily regiment. Nor is it ridged or unbending.
- Discipline is not easy or comfortable. But neither is it overly painful.
- It is not exacting, not solution filled.
- Discipline isn’t accomplished today or tomorrow.
The exercise of a discipline pits the realization of where you are with the desire to become something more. In focusing on Christ, it allows you to go somewhere else, to move toward God, to do his will.
Attentiveness plants seeds, persistence produces fruit.
– DGC
Go to the next section: Disciplines - Bible Reading
