Tag: The Spiritual Disciplines

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THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES :: SILENCE

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DIFFERENT FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.

In The Spiritual Disciplines series we’re learning 12 disciplines that will guide us as we grow deeper in our walk with God. These columns post on the second Friday of each month in 2020.

Spiritual Disciplines are not a list of religious duties but rather habits that nurture and mature our spiritual growth. They are inward, spiritual attitudes walked out by behaviors and actions. These habits are critical for lasting spiritual growth and true life transformation.

SILENCE: Closing off our souls from sounds, whether noise, music, or words, so that we may better still the inner chatter of our noisy hearts and be increasingly attentive to God.~ Life With God Bible

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!  ~ Habakkuk 2:20

While all the Spiritual Disciplines are important, to me Silence is one of the most critical. Without our times of silence and solitude we will rarely have the opportunity to grow individually or in our relationship with God.

Most of us today, especially those under the age of 30, have never had a serious period of complete silence. Some avoid silence at all cost. When I was younger I would do anything to keep from being alone with my thoughts. It took going through addiction recovery for me to learn that silence can help me. It is my friend, not my enemy.

As much as I thought others would dislike the “real” me if they knew me, I also disliked myself. I didn’t want to be alone with me. I didn’t want to hear the negative thoughts from the childhood programming that would invariably surface in times of silence and solitude.

Now after recovery and learning the wonderful spiritual practice of contemplation, I have learned the value of just sitting with the trees and clouds, while listening for the still small voice of God to speak to my heart and soul.

If we are too busy to find some quiet time with God, we will soon be too busy for ourselves or anyone  else for that matter.

I encourage you to carve out some time to be alone not only with God, but with yourself. Take advantage of the opportunity to be outside during the beautiful fall weather and sit with God under a tree and just… be.

                                                            BE

                                                     BE STILL

                                          BE STILL AND KNOW

                              BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM

                       BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

                                               ~ Psalm 46:10 ~

 

Take a few minutes and be encouraged to find some quiet time with God as you watch/listen to this beautiful song by Elevation Rhythm.

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THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES :: SERVICE

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DIFFERENT FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.

In The Spiritual Disciplines series we’re learning 12 disciplines that will guide us as we grow deeper in our walk with God. These columns post on the second Friday of each month in 2020.

Spiritual Disciplines are not a list of religious duties but rather habits that nurture and mature our spiritual growth. They are inward, spiritual attitudes walked out by behaviors and actions. These habits are critical for lasting spiritual growth and true life transformation.

SERVICE: Loving, thoughtful, active promotion of the good of others and the causes of God in our world, as we experience the many little deaths of going beyond ourselves.

God remembers the love you demonstrate as you continually serve his beloved ones for the glory of his name. ~ Hebrews 6:10

Some of us are gifted with service. But gifted or not, as Christians, we are all called to service as His followers. The Spiritual Discipline of service is a radical self-denial in humble service to others for Christ.

Relationship vs. Results

Service is more about our relationship with God than the results of the particular action we are performing. It’s not about working for God but rather working with God, allowing Him to work in and through us. Our service for God may not come packaged in some beautifully wrapped ideal of success. It may come as something as simple as helping an elderly neighbor with their groceries or trash.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

This is most important in the Spiritual Discipline of Service. We can serve God wherever He has put us. Instead of waiting for the next grand opportunity, serve God today with your whole heart, even in the simplest of tasks.

Much Is Given And Required

God uses our reaction to our life circumstances to fulfill His purposes. We will never be able to fully measure or know how God uses us because it’s His power not ours at work. We can’t measure our usefulness for God by what we’ve done for Him.  Rather He will measure us by how we’ve shown Christ’s love by humbly allowing Him to work through us for the benefit of others.

Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.  Oswald Chambers

The Spiritual Discipline of Service is a lifestyle reflected often in hidden, modest tasks unseen by many. As we take our eyes off our selves and put them fully on Christ in service to others we will experience a full and meaningful life we’ve not known before.

Take a few minutes to reflect on your service to others for Christ with this lovely classic song by the Maranatha Singers.