A Lenten Reflection – Spiritual Disciplines
On Ash Wednesday, we entered the season of Lent in the Christian liturgical calendar. Lent is a season of self reflection as we examine our lives and our hearts in preparation for the celebration of Easter. It is a time when we can give up something to better focus our attention on God. We can also add something to our lives that will foster a deeper relationship with God. Giving up something is perhaps the most popular option as people give up all kinds of things for Lent. However, today I want to focus on adding something for Lent.
The “something” we seek to add is usually a spiritual discipline or holy habit that we have tried before and abandoned or are employing for the first time. We can think of spiritual disciplines as being either upstream or downstream. Upstream disciplines are holy habits that don’t come easily to us and may run contrary to our personality or nature. Downstream disciplines are holy habits that are second nature to us and seem a natural outgrowth of our lifestyle and personality.
Both types have value. Downstream disciplines can build on existing strengths and refine the spiritual skills we already possess. Understandably, downstream spiritual disciplines are more popular because they are easier for us to enact. However, upstream spiritual disciplines often prove more valuable because they push us to grow beyond our comfort zone much like weight or endurance training does in the physical sense. We get stronger and build more muscle when we encounter resistance. It is true both physically and spiritually.
I encourage you to try both types in your devotional life. Some seasons of life require challenge to grow and upstream disciplines can provide that challenge.
Some seasons of life require comfort and downstream spiritual disciplines offer that comfort. I have been rewarded by pursuing both types over the years.
This Lent I encourage you to deepen your spiritual life. Try something new or recommit to a spiritual practice previously abandoned. Try something that comes naturally to you or something that is hard for you. Either type can produce growth and lead you closer to God.
In Christ,
Pastor John