A Celebration of Discipline

I've decided to do something that I've never tired before. And I'm kind of excited. Seems a bit strange to think that I would be excited about something so boring. Really it's not fun. But here I am thinking through it over and over, and I actually feel anticipation for the next forty days. I had decided to give something up for Lent this year. I am not going to indulge in desserts, such as cookies, cake, ice cream, and candy. I am a self proclaimed junk food junkie, although I do attempt to keep myself in check with moderation. But, really why am I conviced that this fast from sweets is even necessary? I wanted to really have a purpose to the challenge, and not just do it, to do it.

The more that I've thought this through the more I felt God speaking to me. There is something to be said for the spiritual disciplines. To most people, the word discipline is associated with work, in the "no pain, no gain" sense of the word. It also seems to get connected to the idea that spiritual disciplines are "old school", ancient, or dead. In my opinion, the younger, "hipper" trends in the church world want to reject the disciplines of the classic church world. I completely understand, and am in agreement with, breaking away from the legalistic mindset of many judgmental attitudes that have been fostered by a "works" faith. I can completely agree that what we do is not all there is to salvation. God's grace covers us, therefore we don't have to earn eternal life. However, there are many things that we can choose to do to draw closer to the heart of God. There are rituals that serve a purpose in our practice of "working out our salvation" to refine us.

While attending college at a Christian Liberal Arts University, I was required as a freshman to take a Fundimental Elements of Christianity class. I do not remember much from that class. What I do remember had a great impact on me. In the class, students read a book entitled, "Celebration of Discipline" (Richard J. Foster). I really struggled at first to read through the book, mostly skimming, highlighter in hand, attempting to get the main ideas of each chapter processed. But as I dug deeper into the material, I began to let it sink in. The ideas that challenged my thinking then, have in recent months come back to me. I pulled that book down off the shelf again to see what God had to say through it.

There are a lot of spiritual rituals and disciplines that I tend to not understand, think are just way too difficult, or often times just forget about. Even the pracice of "standard" or "typical" disciplines can become rote or lack luster in meaning. Worship, prayer, daily bible reading, and communion can lose significance when we take away the celebration of it. The purpose in all of it is to gain focus of the Father, be united with the Son, and be filled up with His Holy Spirit.

Some of the things that I have either been missing out on, or merely didn't realize I was already doing, surprise me. Meditation, prayer, fasting, and study are all inward practices that can rejuvenate our relationship with the Lord. The introvert in me gravitates towards these. Lately, this blog has helped me to grow in the areas of mediation and study. I just wasn't labeling it. My dessert fast is about as aggressive as I have ever come to a "real fast". Fasting for any significant amount of time is something I still need to tackle. I have a great deal to learn about prayer. I know that there will be a time in my life that God will teach me more about prayer and fasting.

The outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service are not as obvious. I know that God has begun to put a hunger in me for a lifestyle of simplicity, and because I enjoy helping others and have gifts in hospitality, the area of service is easier for me. But solitude and submission? Those are tough! Being quiet in a world of busyness and noise so that God can speak is a challenge for us in our society. And the attitude of submission, or self-denial, isn't modeled to us very much even in the church. We live comfortable, relatively easy cushioned lives that rarely push us to do more to draw closer to Christ.

I want to grow. I want to see God more in my life. I am called to live differently than the average joe, because I am called to model my life after Christ. So I embrace the challenge of something new, and hope to meet God in a fresh way through it. If I value my relationship with Him, I will not dread discipline in my life, I will celebrate it!