This coming Sunday marks our last in our series on Renewed Rhythms: Cultivating Spiritual Disciplines TOWARD Transformation in 2024. Over the past 11 weeks (1 week was set aside for Teen Challenge), we’ve looked at 10 very different spiritual disciplines – some quite conventional (i.e. prayer, solitude, fasting, etc.) while others not so much (soul friendship, journaling, etc.). Regardless, each has served the objective of drawing us closer to God in order to love God and our neighbour just a wee bit better. 

So… how’s that worked out for you?

Personally, it’s been hard. Looking back, maybe 10 distinct practices was a bit too ambitious. It’s hard enough practicing one or two but doing all of them? Frankly, unless we all gave up our lives, became monks and lived in a monastery full time it’s pretty much out of the question. I mean, let’s be real. That said, hopefully you were able to approach these disciplines as more of a buffet-style – where you could sample all of them a bit but then maybe spend more attention with those practices you deemed more necessary for where you’re at in your faith journey these days. 

For myself, the disciplines requiring more of my attention these days happen to be scripture reading and soul friendship. Again, that’s not to say the others aren’t relevant or even necessary – they certainly are. It’s just that scripture reading, for instance, is a pretty significant part of my work as a pastor (go figure!) and has been an area of my faith I’ve struggled with for years. I wanted to use this period to jump back aboard the Bible thumpin’ train and discover the invitation into beauty and love that the Bible provides as it points us to Jesus. And then also I realized that intentional friendships, built on authenticity and vulnerability, with a healthy measure of accountability and intentionality toward following Jesus, is very much what my life is in need of these days. I’m not an island and soul friends remind me of this regularly.

I appreciate, though, what all of the other disciplines offer as well and over the next year I’m making a commitment to continue practicing these ones I’m less familiar with in intentional and, hopefully, sustainable ways. I invite you to do the same as we move on from this series, seeing the gift that each offers along the way, allowing them to draw us closer to Jesus and to one another as we stumble forward together.