Devotion and Discipline

As we begin a brand new year and a brand new decade, I’m sure you too have had several moments of introspective reflection. With the arrival of each year, we all typically tend to be more goal contentious. We somehow find the ability to embrace our lives with renewed strength, revived hope, and refocused vision about our priorities, plans, and passions. Every area of our life requires careful self-inventory and assessment. We evaluate what has been working well in our lives, what’s not, and carefully determine our next steps in moving forward in pursuit of fulfilling our daily destiny.

First and foremost should be our relationship with God. How we live out our devotion to Him is revealed through our daily fellowship. This is why maintaining a healthy worship life is of vital importance to experiencing a thriving, authentic relation with God. In 2019 the theme for this blog ministry was “Everything is Worship.” This year, the Lord gave me the theme, “Worship and Spiritual Formation.” I wholeheartedly believe worship is the catalyst that propels our devotion to God, which becomes the springboard for practicing spiritual disciplines within our lifestyle.

This year, I want to encourage you to allow love to be the driving force which motivates your devotion to God and your discipline in the things of God. 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Do everything in love.” Love is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22: 37-38), and it is also a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Most of all, love is compelling. John 3:16 tells us God loved the world so much, he gave Jesus that we might have salvation and eternal life. It is because of this love demonstrated toward us we are in return compelled to bestow love back to God through our devotion to Him.

In order to consistently experience fellowship with the father, it requires discipline. Like so many other things in life, we must be willing to invest our efforts and energy in cultivating our relationship with God. This can be done through spiritual formation. Practicing spiritual disciplines is biblical. Jesus modeled for us what it means to live a life devoted to prayer, fasting, acting in obedience, displaying good stewardship, and many other disciplines.

Each month this year, we will focus on a specific spiritual discipline in the context of worship. I pray you will be stretched and spurred on to consider incorporating these disciplines into your life. It is also my hope you will use them in your personal devotional time as you foster spiritual growth and development in your relationship with God.

May all we do be done in love, even in our devotion and discipline to God. Let’s not forget, as we act in love it is in the strength and power of God’s grace. He is not impressed with our independence, self-will, or abilities to perform for Him. As we rest in his grace, we find our rhythm of devotion and discipline to express our love for him and love Him more.