Sometimes I have wrestled with the tension of how to approach the spiritual disciplines (praying, studying Scripture, memorizing passages, fasting, etc.). If our primary motivation comes from within, the sort of just-pull-our-boot-straps-up-and-get-to-it type of attitude, where is the Spirit’s leading and inner working? The danger with this approach is the capacity it can create for pride and self-righteousness because the primary motivation is based more on one’s own will power and less on the Spirit’s work. This posture towards the disciplines can also create an attitude of enlightenment; that God somehow owes us His blessing because we have positioned ourselves through sheer determination. It often is a masquerade for true spirituality, and it can ultimately lead to a spirit of legalism.
On the far other end of spectrum is a sort of laissez-faire approach to the disciplines. This mindset rests in a wait-and-see approach to pursuing God through spiritual practices. Not wanting to be legalistic, nor take the credit of spiritual growth, the believer wrapped up in this frame of mind often puts the disciplines on the shelf and simply waits for God to awaken his or her inner desire for them. The danger is that the disciplines may rarely be practiced because the believer is not proactively doing much for his or her spiritual growth. The end result is often a stale and stagnant faith.
In his book, “Celebration of Discipline” Richard Foster gives a simple yet wonderful analogy. He encourages believers to pursue the disciplines similarly to how a farmer approaches his work. A wise farmer works extremely hard to cultivate a bountiful crop. However, at the end of the day a farmer knows that the results of the crop are outside of his control. He can provide the best opportunity for a healthy crop, but he is unable to make it grow. Similarly, we must pursue the spiritual disciplines with diligence while full knowing that the end results are beyond our control – only God can truly change our inner passions and desires that can produce spiritual fruit. Even so, we must position ourselves for the best possible chance of God’s working, while trusting that He alone can ultimately work through us.
