Following After Jesus Together.
Bronson Duke
Week One: Why Do We Need Spiritual Disciplines?
I wonder if anyone has ever had this happen before: You leave work, and you just had a big conflict. Your boss has just chewed you out about something you had little to no control over, and you are thinking about all the things you wish you had said, and all the ways he or she doesn’t understand how difficult that customer or situation was to deal with, and how you would LOVE to see them do it better, and how you are too good for this place anyway and how about you just quit…. And then suddenly you are in your driveway and you have NO IDEA how you got there.
Here's what I want you to consider:
If we can develop the ability to drive home a car, a piece of heavy machinery, without thought, is it possible that we could develop other unconscious habits as well?
You know, the way we're formed as human beings is very fascinating. I read a stat that said only 5% of what we do day to day involves critical thinking.95% is done by unconscious habits and responses. Our breathing is automated. Our inner thoughts and dialogue? Largely automated. Even our eating can be automated.
James K. A. Smith points this out in his book “You Are What You Love”: Psychologists refer to these acquired, unconscious habits as “automaticities,” for the same reason Aristotle called them “second nature”: because these are ways that we move in the world without thinking about it. The language of automaticity isn’t meant to reduce us to machines or robots; it’s meant to describe how we acquire ways of navigating the world that become built in.
If you are honest, how many times a day do you pick up your phone without deciding to? And next thing you know, you are scrolling, and the time you meant to spend resting, reading or even praying is… gone.
We Are All Being Formed
What does that mean? Formation is the process of shaping or developing something into a particular form or structure. More specifically, to form means to create, construct, or mold something into being or into a desired shape.
Dallas Willard said, “Everyone receives spiritual formation, just as everyone gets an education. The only question is whether it is a good one or a bad one.”
The question is not whether you are being formed. The question is: What is forming you, and what are you being formed into? What you are most connected to influences you most. And what influences you most charts the course for who you will eventually become.
Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4 ESV)
We all abide. As modern people, our abode is increasingly digital rather than just physical. Our digital world screams for our attention so it can be bartered and sold. Why? Because advertisers know what was at the heart of Jesus’ teaching on abiding: What has your attention will eventually have your heart.
Think about the relationship we have with our digital devices: We wake up with them, take our breaks with them, wind down with them, and rock ourselves gently to sleep while gently scrolling on them. But here is what we have to see… These are not innocent devices.
There is a system behind the screen that is designed to capture our attention and shape the way we think. These algorithms learn our desires and feed us whatever keeps us engaged: at the base level, bright colors and constant movement, but at a deeper level, comparison, lust, the allure of fame, and, more recently, anger, outrage, and fear of those who think differently from us. None of those compulsive patterns has produced in us anything close to what the Bible calls “the fruit of the Spirit.” They do not form contentment and peace. They do not form joy, patience, or love
Look at the fruit of our digital abode: anxiety, discontentment, hurry, anger, loneliness, and disconnection. We are all being formed. The question is whether it is producing the life we want.
Paul tells us there are two patterns available to us: the pattern of the world that brings destruction and the pattern of Christ that brings renewal.
We cannot simply drift into the image of Jesus. Cultural formation is too strong and too constant. We need counter-formational practices that are stronger than the practices forming us away from Him.
What Is a Rule of Life?
Many of us lack spiritual fruit. This is not because God doesn’t desire to work in us or because we don’t desire His work. I believe the issue is that we lack a consistent framework through which God can work on us.
This is where a rule of life comes in. A rule of life is not a set of religious rules we follow to earn God’s love. Salvation is a gift we receive. God is opposed to earning, not effort. But in our formation, God gives us the dignity of “joyful participation.”
Think about a vineyard. Grapes grow on a trellis, a framework that lifts, supports, and directs the vine so it can become healthy and fruitful. The trellis does not create life or force growth. It creates the structure on which the vine can grow and flourish. A rule of life is a trellis for our life with God: an intentional framework of daily, weekly, and seasonal practices that keep us connected to Jesus and open to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
At ChristChurch, we have a core rule of life we encourage you to adopt, consisting of four inward practices and four outward practices:
INWARD
Sabbath for rest with God.
Scripture reading for knowledge of God.
Prayer for intimacy with God.
Fasting to elicit hunger for God.
OUTWARD
Community to share our lives with others.
Hospitality to share our tables with others.
Generosity to share our resources with others.
Vocation to share our good work with others.
These practices are not the destination. Jesus is. These practices do not bring salvation. Jesus does. But these practices help us intentionally arrange our lives around Him. Intentional spiritual practices simply make us available for God to do His continued work within and through us.
APPLICATION
PRAYER
Father, I yield to Your leadership. Reveal what is forming me. Reveal the habits and practices that have become built into my life. Give me grace to resist what pulls me away from Your love, and the courage to arrange my life around Your presence. I accept the invitation to this journey. Form me into the person You created me to be. Amen.
Now in God’s presence, pray through these prompts:
Recognize.
Resist.
Replace.
1. RECOGNIZE
What are the current places where you primarily abide? What do you repeatedly do without thinking? What receives your first attention in the morning and your final moments before sleep? Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What does your spending tell you about where your heart abides?
Examine the fruit: What are these practices producing in you? Are they producing peace or anxiety, love or anger, contentment or envy, presence or disconnection?
2. RESIST
What is one thing you need to subtract this week? It could be creating an app limit on your phone (this limits the time allowed in certain apps per day), leaving your phone outside the bedroom, keeping devices away from the dinner table, or removing one source of constant noise.
3. REPLACE
As you go through this devotional, ask this question: “What counter-formational practice can I add?” Begin small: ten minutes of morning prayer, Scripture before your phone, weekly worship, a device-free meal, or a period of Sabbath rest.
Pick one practice and put it into place this week. If you’d like to start a prayer practice, below is a daily path to pray Psalm 23.
PRAYING PSALM 23
The goal for this practice is to spend at least 5 minutes in uninterrupted prayer. If you are new to this practice, you may find focusing on prayer for more than a minute or two quite difficult. That is okay and to be expected. When you find your thoughts drifting, gently bring them back to focus on the Scripture of the day.
We recommend that you do this practice first thing in the morning because morning is often the easiest time to set aside for prayer, but any time of day will do.
The most important thing is that you consider this an “unmissable appointment with God.” Think of it this way: if you had an appointment set with the president, you would be on time. The Creator of the universe wants to meet with you—don’t be late! There is, of course, grace upon grace, but I find it helpful to think of it this way.
In this practice, we are going to meditate on and pray Psalm 23.
The simple words "The Lord is my shepherd" can be spoken quietly and persistently in such a way that they become like a hedge around a garden in which God's shepherding can be sensed. These words, which at first might seem to be no more than an interesting metaphor, can slowly descend from the mind into the heart. There they may offer the context in which an inner transformation, by the God who transcends all human words and concepts, can take place. Thus, the words "The Lord is my shepherd" lead to the silent pastures where we can dwell in the loving presence of him in whose Name the preacher speaks. This meditative preaching is one way to practice the ministry of silence. (Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Formation)
PATHWAY
1: Get alone in a quiet, undistracted place.
But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 CSB)
Bring your coffee, tea, or whatever you generally do in the morning.
2: Sit and become aware of God’s presence with you as you come to quiet.
Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10 NIV)
Sit in quiet, becoming aware of God’s presence with you.
3: Read and reflect on the verse of the day for 5 minutes in quiet prayer.
DAY 1
The Lord is my shepherd.
Repeat either out loud or in your mind, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Rest in this truth: God is your Shepherd. He leads you and guides you. Let the areas where you need Him to be your Shepherd—or where you are resisting His shepherding—come to mind. Then rest in this truth: God, the Maker of all things, wants to lead you, guide you, and be with you as you go throughout the day ahead.
DAY 2
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Remember that the Lord is your Shepherd who provides. Reflect and give thanks for His provision. Allow areas you are not trusting Him to provide to come to mind and, with a repentant heart, ask the Shepherd to provide. Remember areas where He has provided for you in the past, and trust in His faithfulness to provide wisdom, resources, vision, patience, hope, endurance, and love.
DAY3
The Lord is my shepherd… He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul
The Lord wants us to rest. He “makes me” lie down… He leads me beside quiet waters… He restores my soul. Rest in His presence, and allow Him to lead you to rest at different points in your day and week.
DAY 4
The Lord is my shepherd, He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
The Lord, our Shepherd, guides us along the right paths. Lord, my Shepherd, give me wisdom and guide me as I navigate the various areas of responsibility. Name those areas in His presence, asking for and trusting in His guidance.
DAY 5
The Lord is my shepherd, even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The Shepherd is with us in trials, pain, failure, persecution, and all the troubles of life. The Shepherd carries the rod for the wolves and the staff for the sheep. He protects us, draws us near, and pulls us from the pit.
DAY 6
Lord, my Shepherd… You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
The Lord prepares a feast for us in the presence of those who would do us harm. He anoints us as His royal sons and daughters and brings abundance. Rest in His favor toward you in the midst of trial and in your place as His royal child.
DAY 7
Lord, my Shepherd… Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The Shepherd pursues you. His love is chasing after you all the days of your life. You will dwell in His presence today, tomorrow, and forevermore.
