March is one of my favorite months of the year because of March Madness- the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I really enjoy watching the games, trying to figure out who will win and hoping for upsets. It is really impressive to watch disciplined athletes performing at the highest level. How did they get to that level? Did it all just come to them naturally? No. It comes through (in my best Allen Iverson imitation) practice. It takes discipline and practice to reach that level.
How should one think about the concept of discipline as it relates to the Christian life? Is discipline somehow in opposition to grace? Or could the Spiritual Disciplines actually be one of the channels that God uses to transform his people?
The pursuit of growth in godliness for those who are followers of Jesus is of great importance and at the same time it can be an incredibly daunting topic. Where should one start? What practices or habits should I seek to develop? How does the grace of God interact with the concept of discipline.
One of the books that has been most helpful to me over the years and that I often still consult and recommend to others is Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. I highly recommend it to you whether you are you have been a Christian for decades or you have just recently come to faith in Christ. Dr. Whitney tackles the topic of spiritual disciplines in a very biblical, helpful and practical way.
If you prefer to listen as well as to read, you can download a free audio version for the rest of the month of March here.
