Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Importance of Spiritual Discipline

A few days ago I wrote about the danger of legalism. I've been thinking about the balance in our Christian lives since then.

We don't want to fall into legalism. But that doesn't mean spiritual discipline doesn't have it's place.

Spiritual discipline is important. The habits that we develop are what help us to grow in our relationship with God.

There are times in our lives where we want to spend time with God. Where the attitudes and motives of why you do those things are all about bringing glory and praise to God.

But what about those times we all have in life where we just don't want to do those things? Is it legalism then if we keep on doing them even though we don't want to?

Sometimes, it's the habits we develop in the times we feel like doing those things, that carry us through the times when we don't feel like doing them. Sometimes we need the habits to keep us going.

Continuing those habits when we don't feel like it isn't necessarily legalism. Spiritual discipline is important as we walk through the seasons of life. Spiritual discipline keeps us going.

It all comes down to the reason why we keep doing those things.

Are we doing them because we want things to change and we want to keep growing in our relationship with God?

Or, are we doing them because we think that if we keep doing them when we don't feel like it because we think that will earn us God's approval and favour?

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