From the last chapter of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney, on perseverance in the disciplines... (Another book finished. Woohoo!!!)
Instead of seeing the Spiritual Disciplines as additional weight, they are actually one of the ways God uses to help lighten your load and give you smoother sailing (p. 237).Whether you realize it or not, everything you do is for eternity. Nothing has an impact only in this life. This is evident from the scriptural teaching that we must finally give an account before God of how we have spent our lives (see Romans 14:12) and will suffer reward or loss based upon each of our works in this life (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Since the weight of all eternity, in the words of the Puritan Thomas Brooks, hangs upon the thin wire of time, let us use our time in ways that are profitable not only in this life, but will best prepare us for eternity as well. Nothing provides a more balanced preparation for living on this earth and the new one to come like the faithful practice of the Spiritual Disciplines (p. 246; emphases mine).Would you be Godly? Then, says the Lord in 1 Timothy 4:7, "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (p. 246).
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