“...train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” I Timothy 4:7-8
What is your reaction when you hear the word discipline? Does the term waken negative feelings associated with guilt and resistance or positive thoughts associated with self-improvement, like better time management or organizational habits? In the context of these devotional ideas, discipline means the process of transformation. At the heart of spiritual disciplines is relationship with God. In a tract on this subject, R. Kent Hughes says about the discipline of church attendance, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian; you don’t have to go home to be married. But in both cases if you do not, you will have a very poor relationship.”
Any list of spiritual disciplines should begin with a biblical foundation and branch out from there. Bible study (2 Tim.2:15); prayer ( 1 Thess.5:17); meditation (Josh.1:8) and fasting (Ps.35:13) are frequently mentioned in both Old and New Testaments as necessary practices for personal spiritual growth. These are inward disciplines. Outward disciplines include practices such as service, solitude, submission, and simplicity. Finally, there are corporate practices such as worship, celebration, confession, and guidance. The challenge is to do a self-evaluation to determine where our own spiritual growth can be enriched by spending more time and attention developing one more of the spiritual disciplines. The following is a technique of prayerful reflection:
The Examen is an ancient church practice that looks back on events of the day to see where
God’s hand has been at work. Where have I sensed God’s presence today? Where am I aware of His direction? St. Ignatius Loyola believed so firmly that the Examen was a gift directly from God that he required the Jesuit order to practice the Examen twice a day—at noon and at the close of the day. The process consists of five steps: 1) Become aware of God’s presence. In the company of the Holy Spirit, ask God for clarity and understanding for a day that may otherwise seem confusing or meaningless to you. 2) Review the day with gratitude. Look for God in the details, focusing on the day’s gifts in the work you did, people you interacted with. What did you receive from them? What did you give them? What small pleasures did you experience—food, sights, sounds? 3) Pay attention to your emotions. St. Ignatius encouraged recognition that the Spirit of God can be found in the range of our emotions throughout the day. What is God saying through feelings of boredom, elation, resentment, compassion, anger, or confidence? 4) Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that might involve a significant feeling, positive or negative, or an encounter that may on reflection seem either significant or insignificant, but something you feel led to examine and pray about. Is it a prayer of intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude? 5) Look toward tomorrow. What feelings surface as you think about what is coming up? Give those feelings to God—whether they are doubtful, cheerful, apprehensive or full of joyful anticipation. Ask Him for hope, help, and understanding as well as protection. Ask for forgiveness of your sins and wisdom not to repeat the same mistakes in the new day. Thank Him for being your friend who welcomes this conversation at the middle or end of the day. End the Examen with anything else the Spirit leads you to pray—perhaps The Lord’s Prayer.
This spiritual discipline seems to outline exactly what Lamentations 3:40 teaches: “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” It was good advice for Israel, and it is good advice for us today.