Spiritual Disciplines — What They Are and Why They Matter for Your Faith

# Spiritual Disciplines — What They Are and Why They Matter for Your Faith

Most Christians know they should pray more and read their Bible. But beyond those two basics, the world of spiritual formation can feel vague — or worse, like a guilt-inducing list of things you are not doing.

The spiritual disciplines are not a guilt list. They are tools. And like any tool, their value lies not in owning them but in using them. This article is a plain-language introduction to the classical spiritual disciplines, why they actually work, and how to begin practicing them — even if your schedule is packed and your attention span is short.

## What Are Spiritual Disciplines?

A spiritual discipline is any practice that trains you to respond to God and receive His grace. The word "discipline" comes from the same root as "disciple" — it simply means a learner who practices what they are being taught.

Jesus practiced these disciplines. He fasted (Matthew 4:2). He withdrew to solitary places to pray (Luke 5:16). He celebrated the Sabbath (Luke 4:16). He memorized Scripture (Matthew 4:4–10). If the Son of God, who had no sin to confess and no weakness to overcome, still found it necessary to practice these rhythms, that tells us something important about their value.

Dallas Willard, one of the most thoughtful writers on spiritual formation, described the disciplines as "activities in our power that enable us to do what we cannot do by direct effort alone." You cannot make yourself love your enemy — but you can practice the disciplines that train your heart to become the kind of person who does.

## The Disciplines of Engagement

Some disciplines involve actively taking something in — engaging with God and His Word through intentional practice.

**Scripture.** Reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Bible is the foundation of all spiritual formation. The disciplines are not a replacement for the Word — they grow from it. If you are not regularly in Scripture, the other disciplines will lack their anchor. A simple starting point: pick one book of the Bible and read one chapter every morning for a month.

**Prayer.** Prayer is the primary language of relationship with God. It is not a performance or a technique — it is honest, dependent conversation with the one who made you and knows you. The disciples did not ask Jesus how to preach. They asked Him how to pray (Luke 11:1). That tells us everything. If you do not know where to start, begin with the Lord's Prayer — not as a script to recite, but as a structure to follow.

**Worship.** Gathering with the body of Christ for corporate worship is itself a spiritual discipline. We are shaped by what we repeatedly do together. Something happens when believers gather around Word and sacrament that cannot happen in isolation. Regular, committed attendance in a local church is not optional — it is formative.

**Journaling.** Writing down your prayers, reflections, and what you notice God doing in your life creates a record of His faithfulness. Many believers who journal consistently report that it deepens their prayer life and sharpens their self-awareness. You do not need to be a writer — you just need to be honest on the page.

## The Disciplines of Abstinence

Other disciplines involve choosing to go without something in order to make space for God and break the grip of distraction.

**Fasting.** Fasting — intentionally abstaining from food for a period of time in order to pray — is one of the oldest and most neglected spiritual disciplines. Jesus assumed his followers would fast: "When you fast," He said, not "if you fast" (Matthew 6:16). Fasting trains us to depend on God rather than food, comfort, or distraction. It reveals what we actually hunger for. Start with a single meal — skip lunch one day a week and spend that time in prayer instead.

**Solitude and Silence.** We live in a world of perpetual noise. Solitude is the discipline of intentionally withdrawing from activity and noise to be present with God alone. This is not introversion — it is obedience. Jesus regularly withdrew to pray alone (Mark 1:35). Silence, its companion, involves quieting not just your environment but your inner monologue, so you can listen. Even fifteen minutes of silent, undistracted prayer can be transformative.

**Sabbath.** God built rest into the structure of creation. He rested on the seventh day — not because He was tired, but as a model for His creatures (Genesis 2:2–3). The Sabbath is a weekly declaration that you are not God — that the world does not depend on your productivity, and that you are more than what you produce. In a culture of chronic overwork, Sabbath is a countercultural act of trust.

**Simplicity.** The discipline of simplicity involves intentionally holding material things loosely — not because money is evil, but because Jesus warned that wealth competes for the loyalty of your heart (Matthew 6:24). This might look like decluttering, reducing consumption, giving generously, or simply resisting the pull to upgrade what you already have.

## Starting Small

The biggest mistake people make with spiritual disciplines is trying to do everything at once. They set ambitious goals, burn out in two weeks, and conclude that they "just are not the disciplined type."

The better approach is to start with one discipline and practice it consistently for thirty days before adding another. Consistency matters more than intensity. Five minutes of daily prayer is more formative than an hour-long retreat once a year.

Here is a simple entry point: for the next month, commit to reading one chapter of the Bible and spending five minutes in silence each morning. That is it. No productivity app required. No podcast. Just you, the Word, and God.

## Why Disciplines Do Not Save You

A word of caution: the spiritual disciplines are not a way to earn God's favor. They do not make you more righteous in God's sight. You are saved by grace through faith — period (Ephesians 2:8–9). The disciplines are the response of a saved person, not the path to salvation.

They are how you train yourself, as Paul put it, to "run in such a way as to get the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24). Athletes do not work out to become athletes. They work out because they are athletes — and because the training makes them better at what they were made to do.

The same is true for the Christian life. You practice the disciplines not to become a child of God, but because you already are one — and because the practices shape you into someone who looks increasingly like the One you follow.

At FBC Fenton, we believe formation happens in community. If you would like to explore the spiritual disciplines with others, we encourage you to connect with one of our small groups, where believers practice these rhythms together and help each other stay the course.