spiritual disciplines book quote 1

Praise God that I have been able to finish reading another book! I haven't posted anything about it since it's more of a personal nature, but I recently started reading Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney. Since I've been struggling with qts, I'm hoping the Lord will use this book to help cultivate a greater conviction to do them, as well as find importance in some of the other spiritual disciplines that I'm lacking. Each chapter addresses a different spiritual discipline. So here's a great quote I found from the first chapter on the purpose for the spiritual disciplines. (Sorry about the length!):

Although God will grant Christlikeness to us when Jesus returns, until then He intends for us to grow toward that Christlikeness. We aren't merely to wait for holiness, we're to pursue it. "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy," we're commanded in Hebrews 12:14, for "without holiness no one will see the Lord."

"How then shall we pursue holiness? How can we be like Jesus Christ, the Son of God?"... We find a clear answer in 1 Timothy 4:7: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" NASB.

The Spiritual Disciplines are the God-given means we are to use in the Spirit-filled pursuit of Godliness.

Godly people are disciplined people. It has always been so... By [the spiritual disciplines] we place ourselves before God for Him to work in us.

Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as spiritual exercises... As physical disciplines... promote strength, so the Spiritual Disciplines promote Godliness.

There are two Bible stories that illustrate another way of thinking of the role of the Spiritual Disciplines. Luke 18:35-43 tells the story of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus and his encounter with Jesus. As Bartimaeus sat by a roadside near Jericho, a crowd of unusual numbers and excitement came near. When he asked what was happening, he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Even a
social outcast like Bartimaeus had heard the incredible stories about Jesus that had come from all over Israel during the past two or three years. Immediately he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who were leading the procession, perhaps some of the local dignitaries, were embarrassed by the beggar's disruptive behavior and sternly told him to keep quiet. But he only cried out all the more, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" To everyone's amazement, Jesus stopped and called for the one who was calling for Him. In response to the poor man's faith, Jesus miraculously healed Bartimaues of his blindness.

The second Bible story is in the very next paragraph of Scripture, Luke 19:1-10. It's the famous account of the conversion of the tax collector, Zacchaeus. Perhaps it happened only minutes after the healing of Bartimaeus. Because Zacchaeus was so short, he was unable to see Jesus in the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed into a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus when He passed by it. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up, called Zacchaeus by name, and told him to come down. The two of them went to the tax collector's house, where he believed in Christ for salvation and resolved to give half his possessions to the poor and return with interest all
tax money he had wrongfully taken.

Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as ways we can place ourselves in the path of God's grace and see Him much as Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus placed themselves in Jesus' path and sought Him.

The Spiritual Disciplines then are also like channels of God's transforming grace. As we place ourselves in them to seek communion with Christ, His grace flows to us and we are changed. That's why the Disciplines must become priority for us if we will be Godly. (p. 16-19, emphasis mine)

I find it so interesting that Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus had to put in the effort to pursue Jesus first. And as they sought Him out and put themselves in His path, they were recipients of His grace and mercy.