Christians trying to develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE are engaged in a complex and complicated WAR that pushes us to “TRY HARD” and “FIGHT HARD” to win. I get it. But we should reconsider that TRY-HARD, FIGHT HARD approach by looking at the Chinese General Sun Tzu who crushed his enemy WITHOUT fighting. Sounds Christ-like, doesn’t it?
It’s true that Christians trying to develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE are in a war with the world and an Enemy who owns darkness. How could it be anything but a war?
Think about it. How in the world could it be easy to become a sanctified soul walking with rhythm in Christ? How could it be easy to grow spiritually? How could it be easy to spend time in God’s inner sanctuary?
Don’t get me wrong. Jesus makes those things EASY. We make them HARD when we travel a Try-Hard, Fight Hard road to develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE. Doing it that way compounds the obstacles standing between us and finding God’s joy and balance.
The Try-Hard, Fight Hard strategy to develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE is incompatible with finding God’s joy.
If we lock onto the Try-Hard, Fight Hard approach, it doesn’t take much and it doesn’t take long for a sense of false confidence to invade our mental theater.
Allowing that to happens has us searching frantically for a quick fix. A silver bullet. A special key to unlock the door that will activate our faith. Heck, just Google it, right?
There is NO QUICK FIX and it ain’t easy developing SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE.
If we allow our pride to take over and make us think we can do this on our own, we will want to give up. So, before you become weary and burdened, give it to God and then embrace the complexity because it’s the only way to know that we cannot do it on our own by executing a Try-Hard, Fight Hard plan.
We develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE by virtue of the Holy Spirit’s power and in our union with JESUS. We are transformed to righteousness and sanctification through the process of surrendering…obeying…growing…and yielding to Christ.
NOT trying hard and fighting hard.
I ask God to step in and redirect my path when I start trying hard and fighting hard to be spiritually disciplined. To nudge me in the direction he would have me go so I don’t have to try hard and fight hard. To give me the gift of not fighting to win the fight.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
If you are Trying Hard and Fighting Hard to develop SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE, try to win the fight by not fighting and, instead, surrendering…obeying…growing…and yielding to Christ.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
