The tangible benefits of spiritual disciplines

When we discuss the spiritual disciplines (prayer, reading the word, etc) our initial reaction can be "here comes another commitment I won't be able to keep."  Often times the disciplines are talked about and can feel like a gym membership.  We start out the year with our resolutions to read the entire Bible in a year or pray every day.  But much like the gym membership, our reading and prayer lives flounder as the year progresses. 

Let's look at the spiritual disciplines from another perspective.  One of the themes of this blog is that God desires to bring us back to Himself.  Prayer and reading the Word are THE main ways the God has established for communicating and communing with Him.

The spiritual disciplines can feel burdensome when they are thought of as duty or requirements. But when we realize that they are times of direct communication with the God of the universe they take on new meaning.  It is no small thing to be in the presence of God, let alone have Him dwelling within you!

"O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." - Psalm 119:97

You need to eat.  When you become a new creature through new birth you need spiritual food, first milk, then meat.  There are benefits to eating, like growth for instance.  The more we eat and exercise spiritually the more we grow and the stronger we get.  It's not just knowledge that grows, it's faith, and boldness, and peace and joy and love that grow as well. 

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" - Matthew 4:4

As we grow in the power and walk of the Spirit we begin to see real, tangible benefits.  Our attitudes change, our thoughts change, our actions change.  People see a difference.  We become less selfish and serve others,  we think better of others.  The lusts of the flesh begin to weaken as the Spirit works on our hearts.  The yoke becomes easy and even enjoyable. 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. - Matthew 7:7

Prayer creates tangible benefits as well.  We feel close to God, we are more thankful and we develop genuine concern for others.  Praying for someone (or even better with someone) is a mighty act of love.  I have never met a single person who has rejected an offer of prayer (although I'm sure they exist). 

The spiritual disciplines take discipline, but if we see them as the spiritual equivalent of meeting your best friend for lunch (eating and conversing) then they don't seem quite as tiresome.