If you reviewed Christian literature a hundred years ago you would have seen many titles that talked about discipline, taking seriously our responsibilities and duties to God, Church and Country. That changed dramatically in the 60’s and the following decades. We wanted to feel our faith, not our duty. Faith became more about how you felt towards God and not about going to church or saying your prayers. A lot of positive aspects came from that change of view. People began to want a relationship with Jesus and not just a set of rules to follow. Faith was to be something lived, not just a creed agreed to.
Yet something was also lost. As following guidelines and rules became seen as negatives instead of positives, so too did having a disciplined life. Saying your prayers and reading the Bible weren’t as important as feeling a closeness to God. Some felt that such things were too formal and got in the way. Stressing obedience was settling for a weaker faith.
Yet has the result been Christians with a closer walk? Has the church been more vibrant and alive? To be fair in some places yes, or at least it seems that way. Having to do things may seem like a kill joy and a lesser faith, but disciplining ourselves, our hearts and minds, to walk as Christ would have us leads to benefits as well. Having a time that is God’s, training our minds to block out the world and focusing on God leads to a greater faith and closer walk.
It may seem old fashioned to talk about discipline and applying that to our faith, but maybe it’s time we brought that old fashioned idea back into fashion. We have been discussing spiritual well-being on Sunday mornings. One way to really revitalize your faith is to practice some old fashion discipline. Don
Yet something was also lost. As following guidelines and rules became seen as negatives instead of positives, so too did having a disciplined life. Saying your prayers and reading the Bible weren’t as important as feeling a closeness to God. Some felt that such things were too formal and got in the way. Stressing obedience was settling for a weaker faith.
Yet has the result been Christians with a closer walk? Has the church been more vibrant and alive? To be fair in some places yes, or at least it seems that way. Having to do things may seem like a kill joy and a lesser faith, but disciplining ourselves, our hearts and minds, to walk as Christ would have us leads to benefits as well. Having a time that is God’s, training our minds to block out the world and focusing on God leads to a greater faith and closer walk.
It may seem old fashioned to talk about discipline and applying that to our faith, but maybe it’s time we brought that old fashioned idea back into fashion. We have been discussing spiritual well-being on Sunday mornings. One way to really revitalize your faith is to practice some old fashion discipline. Don
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