We cannot be disciples without discipline. As with anything in life, we cannot succeed at it without some form of discipline. In order to play the guitar well, it takes hours and hours of practice and the development of callouses. In order to learn a language, it takes consistent exposure to that language over a long period of time. In order to be a successful athlete, it takes years of training as well as mental and physical discipline in and out of season.

Our faith is no different. In fact, Paul uses athletic metaphors because faith and athletics are similar in this way. Paul, as he encourages Timothy to avoid silly myths and gossip, he encourages him to discipline himself for piety or godliness, “Rather train [gymnazō] yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim 4:7, 8; ESV). Even if we train our body so that it is powerful and healthy, it is even more important to train our spiritual muscles in order that they might endure hardships and the fiery trials of sin.

How are we to train ourselves in godliness/piety? The two most basic spiritual disciplines which serve as the foundation of our relationship with God are (1) Bible intake and (2) prayer. Bible intake does not just mean reading your Bible. It also includes meditating on, memorizing, and studying it in-depth. Likewise, prayer is more than just saying grace before a meal or asking God for stuff. It also entails being honest with God about your spirituality and your emotions, praising God for his deeds, and thanking God for what he has done for you.

However, we ought to engage in several other spiritual disciplines like service, evangelism, solitude, giving, simplicity, worship, celebration, and fasting. While I hope to teach a class on these spiritual disciplines, next week I will write on the last of these – Fasting – and why it is extremely important for the Lord’s people to practice this habitually.