Disciplined Grace
I was just reading an article and picked up my guitar to try to sort my way through what I was reading. Sometimes using my hands to play an instrument or build something gives me time to try to wrap my head around the concepts I'm trying to understand.
This article was about spiritual formation, and becoming an apprentice of Christ rather than just becoming a part of another program. The discussion got into the idea of spiritual disciplines vs grace, and trying to sort out the difference between the two.
I've always had a hard time separating discipline and grace. When my disciplines are going well, I feel pretty good about myself. But then sooner or later I start to rely on my disciplines rather than on God himself, and I stumble. When they are not going so well on the other end of the cycle, I don't feel very good about myself and have a hard time understanding my place in the Kingdom. It's hard because I no less need God when I am disciplined, and yet it doesn't feel that way.
So if I'm saved by grace, I am saved. There is no arguing with that, but the article pointed out that I still have years of habitual lust, envy, pride, etc eating away at me. Those things are not good and are hindrances to me, but they are still there. Even though I already received that grace, the only way to kill the pride, envy, and other nasty stuff is through disciplines like quiet time, fasting, prayer. Those don't make me any more or less a Christian, they just put out the flames of self (to mix the metaphor.)
My hands hurt from practicing my new guitar. Since I received it as a gift, I've wanted to play more. Not only that, but I have wanted to play better. I asked for some advice from someone who plays better than I do, and have been practicing my scales several times a day for the last few days. So much so that my fingers are aching from the sudden surge in their use.
The guitar was a gift, and an expensive gift at that. Someone giving me such a gift inspired me to do something - to play better. To put in the practice time and sweat the scales until I can play better. That's the discipline, to do the work to grow in my skill. I suppose that I could sit and strum a few familiar chords, but for some reason I don't want to do that. Because of the gift that I now have, I want to use it to its full potential.
I think that there are two different ways you can go when you receive a large gift. One is to treat it as precious and let it inspire you to bigger and better things. The other way to go is to treat it as worthless because you paid nothing for it.
Just like grace. I didn't pay for it, I certainly didn't earn it. The gift of Christ and the Cross cost me nothing but was very expensive none the less. I've already received it, I don't need to do anything to get it. Now I guess the only question is, do I want to strum a few familiar chords, or use this gift to its full potential?
This article was about spiritual formation, and becoming an apprentice of Christ rather than just becoming a part of another program. The discussion got into the idea of spiritual disciplines vs grace, and trying to sort out the difference between the two.
I've always had a hard time separating discipline and grace. When my disciplines are going well, I feel pretty good about myself. But then sooner or later I start to rely on my disciplines rather than on God himself, and I stumble. When they are not going so well on the other end of the cycle, I don't feel very good about myself and have a hard time understanding my place in the Kingdom. It's hard because I no less need God when I am disciplined, and yet it doesn't feel that way.
So if I'm saved by grace, I am saved. There is no arguing with that, but the article pointed out that I still have years of habitual lust, envy, pride, etc eating away at me. Those things are not good and are hindrances to me, but they are still there. Even though I already received that grace, the only way to kill the pride, envy, and other nasty stuff is through disciplines like quiet time, fasting, prayer. Those don't make me any more or less a Christian, they just put out the flames of self (to mix the metaphor.)
My hands hurt from practicing my new guitar. Since I received it as a gift, I've wanted to play more. Not only that, but I have wanted to play better. I asked for some advice from someone who plays better than I do, and have been practicing my scales several times a day for the last few days. So much so that my fingers are aching from the sudden surge in their use.
The guitar was a gift, and an expensive gift at that. Someone giving me such a gift inspired me to do something - to play better. To put in the practice time and sweat the scales until I can play better. That's the discipline, to do the work to grow in my skill. I suppose that I could sit and strum a few familiar chords, but for some reason I don't want to do that. Because of the gift that I now have, I want to use it to its full potential.
I think that there are two different ways you can go when you receive a large gift. One is to treat it as precious and let it inspire you to bigger and better things. The other way to go is to treat it as worthless because you paid nothing for it.
Just like grace. I didn't pay for it, I certainly didn't earn it. The gift of Christ and the Cross cost me nothing but was very expensive none the less. I've already received it, I don't need to do anything to get it. Now I guess the only question is, do I want to strum a few familiar chords, or use this gift to its full potential?
posted by Jeff at 3:45 PM
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