Spiritual Disciplines
The following devotionals were contributed to a church Lenten devotional book on Spiritual Disciplines.
Worship - 1
We tend to put the act of worship into a formulated box. Three to four songs before the sermon and then maybe a response song, but make sure you are out the door in time to beat the lunch crowd. Worship as a discipline goes so much farther than this “worship experience” we fall into a routine with.
Worship is an outward expression in response to all things God has given us. It can be a time of celebrating, giving thanks, or a time of lament while yearning for the presence of God. It is more than just songs. The sermon, offering, gathering together, in person, or virtually bring a steadfast connection to the Lord and each other in the act of worship. Worship by yourself is as equally as important as worshiping together with the body of Christ.
How engaged are you when you are entering a time of worship? Where can you seek God during worship to grow deeper in worship as a discipline and in your relationship with God? Some of my most intimate worship times have been in our sanctuary with the body, at Ceta Canyon during camp, and even driving by myself on the highway, music blaring singing as loud as possible with tears streaming down my face. How will you worship the Lord today?
Scripture: Colossians 3:14-17
Worship - 2
Did you know that there are different types of expressions of worship?! We can express to God what we are feeling in more ways than just singing. Have you ever noticed someone raising their hands or bowing on their knees? These are some different ways to express during worship.
If you want to press into growing in worship as a spiritual discipline, I highly recommend trying these 9 different worship expressions. You can try these on your own while playing worship music or when we gather together! Take each action, try it, then reflect on how it felt. It can feel a little weird at first, but what discipline isn't weird in the beginning!
Shouting – Psalm 27:6 – Take a moment and make a shout of praise to the Lord while you worship.
Clapping – Psalm 47:1 – Clap along to a song … through the whole verse, chorus, or the entire song!
Dancing – Psalm 149:3 – It doesn't have to be a full out ballet but take some space and dance while you worship.
Standing – Psalm 119:120 – The majority of you were already practicing this expression without knowing it! Lean into why we stand from the scripture.
Bowing – Psalm 95:6 – Try bowing or kneeling before the Lord during worship. You can kneel into your seat or at the altars or where you are in the room. You can even try laying prostrate on the ground.
Speaking – Psalm 34:1 – This one might feel weird, but saying thanks or praise during a song is a form of worship! Even an Amen. During a song where just music is playing, try speaking out loud to the Lord.
Singing – Psalm 47:6 – Most of you do this one already too! Singing is such a great expression of worship. Whether soft or loud, on key or not, sing praises to the Lord!
Lifting Hands – Psalm 63:4 – You may have seen people respond during worship by raising their hands. There are a few different ways of using this expression. Hands in the air with palms out means praise to the Lord, giving it back to Him. Hands over someone might be extending the truth being sung over those people. With your hands' palms up, you are in the space of receiving or surrender. Try different ways and see how God speaks to you.
Selah – Psalm 3:4 – Selah is a moment throughout the Psalms that worship leaders would use by taking space over the music to stay in the presence of God and speak Selah. It is usually used towards the end of a song and can also mean to praise or forever. It is a way of pausing and reflecting upon what was just said or sung.
Study
Sometimes the discipline of study can seem daunting. Where do you start? What if I don’t understand? What am I even reading! One study method I have really loved using over the last decade focuses on five simple steps that focus on specific scripture. And the beauty is you can use it over and over with different scriptures!
We call it Read It, Write It, Pray It, Sing It, Say It.
Start by picking a scripture. It can be whatever you want. As you are getting started, a verse or two might be easier than a whole paragraph, but this would work wither way! For this example, let’s use John 1:5 – “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Read It: First, spend time reading the scripture. If it’s short, you might read through it a few times.
Write It: Then write the prayer out either in your journal, in this book, or on a piece of paper. You can choose how many times you want to write it. When we write things over and over, we learn them better!
Pray It: The next step is to pray through that scripture! Your prayer may sound something like this: Father God, thank you for your continued blessings. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you that your light conquers over the dark. Bring to light the areas in my life that still need your mercy. Reveal where darkness is still in control. God, shed your light and truth into the lives of those who do not know you. May they know your peace and unconditional love.
Sing It: Next is to sing it. Now don’t let this intimidate you. You can either make up a melody or sing along to a tune you know like Amazing Grace, Jesus Loves Me, or Happy Birthday. You could make this scripture work to Amazing Grace if you sing it through twice.
Say It: Next is to say it. Yep, say it out loud. There is power in speaking the truth found in scripture.
I hope this study process brings an awakening in how you ready and study scripture. It is a simple walkthrough, but I think it brings a powerful impact each time. Do it by yourself or as a group!
Prayer
I've learned that there are so many ways to stay dedicated in prayer. For the longest time, I thought you either needed to be devoted to all the forms or at least a few that you dedicated a lot of time to daily. Praise God for reality and seasons. I've learned as the season of life I am in has changed, so does my prayer disciplines, and each is rich and beautiful in its own time.
There was a season when I was single and in college that my time devoted to prayer looked like hours of intercessory prayer and journaling my prayers. Then there was a season when I was on the road a lot, and my best prayer times were driving the highways. And even as these prayer times changed as I got married, the real blow came with having kids. Now, my prayer time looks more sporadic and shorter in length. Short prayers of "Lord, give me patience" (lol) or breath prayers to get through the day or moment (breathe in and breath out your prayer). The best of all is prayers at night with Nolan.
I really struggled because it's been over 4 years since I've sat down and journaled prayers. But the Lord has met me in the busiest times with the sweetest moments in prayer. One day, I will be back to journaling, but until then, I will keep seeking those small moments and breath prayers and praying while were driving around town. There was a lady in a church that I used to work at the journaled her prayers in three-ring binders. She would fold a fourth of each page to make side columns. In the larger sections, she would write and date what she was praying for. Then when God answered the prayers, she would come back and notate in the column how God answered those prayers. I was in awe. Her widower was showing me the binders that he kept and there were BOOKSHEVELES of prayers. I was so amazed by her dedication and gift of prayer.
What is your favorite way to spend time in prayer? Does this season of life provide space for it? How can you try a new way of praying today?
Simplicity
On top of being a discipline, simplicity is a season of life I am striving to live into right now. Simplicity feeds into so many areas than just decluttering and seems to be so counter-cultural. When we remove things from our lives, it creates space for openness. We are more open to relationships, new thoughts, more time, so many things when we live into simplicity.
What are some things you need to let go of? Toxic relationships? Physical clutter? Busy schedules? Mindless shopping or eating? Too much screen time? Letting go of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). I’m stepping on my own toes with several of these. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”
Freedom does not come from having but from keeping God first in our hearts. Ask God to show you some areas you need to simplify. Maybe your calendar and activity commitments, downsizing your possessions, cutting back on spending, or removing distractions. When we clear out space that is distracting, we find more time for being more creative, our minds are clearer, our relationships are more focused, we can let things go, we are grounded in God’s love for us, not what we have.
Take some time today and ask God to show you one or two areas you need to simplify. Make some action steps on how you can move towards simplicity in those areas. Then live into the freedom that comes!
Grattitude
There was a season in my life when I would just be overcome with fear and live into anxieties more than living into life. We had been going through some counseling sessions processing some extended family events that were unfolding, and some other things came to light for ourselves, and this was mine. I couldn’t even name why I had all this fear or where it was coming from, but when I would start to write it all down, pages and pages were filled with fears deep in my soul.
One of the ways we sat down to combat this was focusing on scriptures above love because they tell us that there is no fear in love and focusing on gratitude. Slowly as I would counteract the fears I was feeling with scriptures on love and a list of what I was grateful for, I could feel the claws of fear releasing. We also figured out that I was absorbing the fears of a co-worker in an unhealthy state. I was taking on her fears without even realizing it.
Some days still can get overwhelming, but for the most part, any time I start to have a negative fear creep up, I immediately begin naming what I am grateful for, and God’s peace overwhelms me.
How do you live into gratitude as a spiritual discipline? Is it an afterthought or easy for you to focus on what is right in your life? Take time today and write five things you are grateful for. Put them on a sticky note so you can see them regularly throughout the day. Then repeat the next day again. When we focus on what is good and of the Lord, it becomes easier to live a full, joyful life. And your gratitude radiates to others.