“For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost,
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.”
In his publication, “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” 1Franklin, Benjamin. “Poor Richards Almanack,” (June 1758, The Complete Poor Richard Almanacks, facsimile ed., vol. 2), 375, 377. Benjamin Franklin reminded the American Colonists that a lack of attention to the small things has the potential to bring about disaster in much greater things. Franklin may not have been a Christian, but his poem reflects the reality in the Christian life regarding what many have called Spiritual Disciplines. For want of the small things, many spiritual battles have been lost.
The divinely inspired Scriptures put it this way: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1Co 9:24–27).
Although Paul here refers to the discipline he applies to his body (soma), he is not speaking merely of his physical self. We know this because he is speaking of running and boxing with purpose as pictures of the athlete’s discipline. Paul understood that discipline in the spiritual realm was not separate from the physical realm. Anyone who has had to fight their desire to sleep a little longer to snatch a few more minutes in prayer and Scripture understands this. The spiritual disciplines require the whole person–body and soul, material and immaterial.
We live in strange times that do not find the stricture of discipline as appealing. People are drawn to a libertine idea of freedom where doing what you want is the freest a person can be. But is it?
When I was in junior high school, I played the saxophone, although I never really got very good at it. In high school, I ran cross-country for my school. Now, several decades later, I have done neither–played the saxophone or run cross-country. You could say that I have been free from the drudgery and pain of practicing both. So, was I truly free? If you heard me play the sax today or saw me try to run the 3.1 miles of a cross-country course, you’d realize that my freedom from discipline has not extended to my freedom to run or play the saxophone. As a matter of fact, my lack of discipline has constrained me and removed my freedom to pick up the sax and play freely whatever music I might choose.
Discipline has a way of enabling us and giving us greater freedom–whether in physical things or spiritual things. A disciplined time of reading the Bible and meditating over it can yield wisdom and comfort to the reader and those they speak with. The discipline of Scripture memory allows the one who has memorized the Word to counsel others from the Word, to resist temptation in a moment of weakness, and to speak with the authority of “Thus says the Lord,” when facing hardship or fears. For those who have chosen to do something else with their time, they simply will not have the resources there in their moments of need.
But true and greater spiritual freedom in the areas mentioned is only a secondary benefit for the Christian who pursues the spiritual disciplines. The actual prize is much greater. To pursue the spiritual disciplines is first and foremost to pursue God Himself. The goal and prize of studying, meditating upon, and memorizing the Word are to know and love God more and better. The prize of deep, personal times of prayer is communing with the Good Shepherd and Lover of your soul. The blessing of confession is a restored relationship with your loving heavenly Father. The overflow of this deep and rich relationship will manifest itself further in an overflowing life of evangelism, worship, fellowship, and service.
Spiritual discipline makes real what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” This isn’t a recipe for narcissistic religion–love God and he will spoil you with whatever you want. Instead, when we delight ourselves in the Lord, through the means of the disciplines, God will give us what we desire, which is Himself.
Let me address the dark sides to discipline since we have all seen it, and most of us have experienced it. All too often discipline can spill into legalism or frustration and abandonment. First, let’s talk about legalism. Although it shouldn’t need to be stated, I will anyway. Spiritual disciplines will in no way earn anyone favor with God. Nobody will enter heaven based upon their faithfulness to read their Bible or attend church. The same is true with memorizing Bible verses, prayer time spent, or any other spiritual activity. Salvation is always a free gift given entirely by God to us through the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. By faith in Christ’s cross-work, the sinner is reconciled to the Father and removed from the darkness into the light. Does anyone really think that their Bible reading or Sunday school attendance or AWANA awards could possibly wipe out their sins? I hope not, but in case that is you, know that no amount of your effort in any of these spiritual things will earn you an ounce of God’s mercy or grace. Salvation is and always has been free.
And what about frustration with our failures as we try to become more disciplined and fail? I mean, by now a high percentage of those who committed to reading through the Bible in January have given up. Maybe that includes you! I understand where you are coming from. Perhaps the frustration comes because we view the goal from the wrong perspective. If the goal of a spiritual discipline, such as Bible reading, is to complete the task and earn a check for the day, then that can be frustrating when you get behind. But if the goal of your Bible reading is to spend time with the God you love, then it will not matter when you have a day that begins busy and ends with much undone, including your Bible reading. How can I say that? Because if you are reading your Bible to spend time with the Lord in communion, then you will long to have that time, and you will miss it. You will also find that you will push harder to spend time with the Word the next day. A schedule is good to keep track and establish a habit, but we must be careful that we do not find ourselves slavishly controlled by the schedule rather than our love for Christ.
That really is the bottom-line regarding discipline, isn’t it? We discipline ourselves so we can do what we love. Whether that is playing an instrument, or being excellent at some athletic skill, or taking back our time from the busyness of life so we can spend it with the God who loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to save us from our sin.
Dr. Richard P. Bargas served in pastoral positions in Southern California for over 20 years before moving to West Michigan. He is a graduate of Biola University (B.A.) and The Master’s Seminary (M.Div.; D.Min.). In June 2019 he was installed as Executive Director of IFCA International. Dr. Bargas and his wife Wendy have been married for 32 years and have four daughters.
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