The Wisdom of Spiritual Disciplines

Frequent readers of this blog site will know how much gratitude I have for Dallas Willard and his ministry. Through him I discovered the gift of spiritual disciplines and the vital role they play in discipleship to Jesus, enabling a disciple to increasingly become like him in spirit, deed and character. Discovering the truths of this through the ministry of Dallas set me on a journey of growth in grace, a journey that will lead me towards complete Christlikeness.

Because of people like Dallas Willard and Richard Foster the language of spiritual disciplines has become common around Christian circles. It is now, strangely, en vogue. As with most things that become popular, once the masses get their hands on them, they are sure to be misused and misunderstood. And in our extreme culture, whenever we think something is causing harm we are prone to toss all of it out. I fear that this is being done with spiritual disciplines.

Will Willimon, a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church and popular preacher and author, has this line appearing in his latest book. "I mistrust the au courant enthusiasm for Christian practices, the latest iteration of our eager-beaver spiritual self-promotion... there's more than a whiff of works-righteous asceticism..." Full disclosure, I have not read his memoirs; I saw this quoted on Fleming Rutledge's (one of my favorite biblical preachers alive today) twitter page.

That being said I can only assume that someone of Willimon’s (and Rutledge's) stature is not revolting against the idea of spiritual disciplines, practices, means of grace, attending to God's ordinances, or any other phrase that is used to describe them. I imagine he is reacting to the people who think that being a Christian is about doing spiritual disciplines, and by doing so miss the point altogether. Therefore, I'd like to briefly illustrate how the disciplines are a gift to us from God. And how, when used regularly and with an eye on God, they will help us encounter the transforming grace of God.

First of all it is important to view the disciplines as a gift from God. God has given humanity different means through which we may seek him. Some of them are prayer, fasting, studying and meditating upon the written word of God, the Lord's supper, generosity and many more. These are gifts because by engaging these things we open up our lives to receive grace, discover what God is like and, in doing so, become more like God.

As we consider that God has given us means through which we may seek him, it is important to remember that the gift giver, God, is perfect. When he hands them down to us they are perfect in nature and structure. They are capable of doing exactly what God intended that they do. However, the recipients of God's gifts, human beings, are imperfect and fallible. Therefore, the likelihood of our misusing the gifts that God has given us are extremely high, if not guaranteed.

The Bible is chock full of ways in which humans have misused the gifts of God. One only needs to read parts of the prophets in the Old Testament to see what God has to say about their practice of fasting, for example, or the early parts of Matthew 6 to see what Jesus has to say about their use of some of the other gifts. Because we are sinful creatures we cannot help but add a tint of sin to all that we do. Therefore, we pray selfishly, we fast in order that people might see how "holy" we are, we give so that people can know how generous and philanthropic we are. The examples are legion.

But does that mean we should abandon the gifts altogether? Should we no longer practice or, "exercise ourselves unto godliness," through the use of these means of grace because of our propensity to misuse them? The answer to this is obviously No.

Think of the parent whose child signs up to play an instrument at school; any instrument will do. The first time they come home and "practice" it is likely that mom or dad ran upstairs to find out what the shrill noise was all about. The reason for this is because the child did not yet have the body, knowledge, skill or discipline to make the instrument produce beautiful music; therefore, at first, they only produce something that cannot be described as music.

But what should the child do? Quit? Absolutely not. The child should continue practicing under the tutelage of one who can help them learn how to use the instrument well. As they do the shrill noise will slowly become recognized as music, and that which was once a curse will turn into a blessing.

The same is true of the disciplines, the gifts God has given us are to help us draw closer to him. But because we are fallen we will use them in imperfect and sinful ways. The use of them will likely reveal how fallen we are, at first, than show forth the glory of God. But, like the child, we shouldn't abandon them but with an awareness of our sinfulness we should continue to use God's gifts trusting that God will transform us as we use them. We could even place ourselves under the tutelage of one who is more advanced than we are, so that we can learn how to use them in ways that honor God.

As Lauren Winner writes in The Danger of Christian Practices, "Even damaged gifts make possible goods that would have otherwise been impossible." That is, only if they are used regularly and intelligently.

The argument about spiritual disciplines is not a new one. Indeed, those who want to read a more excellent defense of them should read John Wesley's sermon, The Means of Grace.

Thanks for your time and attention.