Duty Or Delight

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

 

1 Samuel 15:22

 

 

Duty is something we must do, often with a sigh. Delight, on the other hand, is something that we get to do, producing in us great joy and exuberance.

 

How can discipline be transformed into delight?

 

Only by understanding the purpose behind the directives of spiritual discipline.

 

 

Disciplines are designed with you in mind – God's highest goal for each of us is to become conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Disciplines direct us to a personal and first hand relationship with Jesus so that we can come to a full knowledge of who He is. Knowing Him is the first step in becoming like Him.

 

Disciplines equip us to run the race – Every Christian is called to run a race. Imagine receiving an invitation to participate in a physical race, a long distance marathon, without having any training or practice—fear would immobilize us. Spiritual disciplines equip us so that we are not only able to run the race but win the race.

 

Disciplines are a matter of training not trying – Scripture instructs us to "train ourselves in godliness." In The Life You've Always Wanted, John Ortberg says "...trying hard can only accomplish so much. If you are serious about seizing the opportunity of a lifetime, you will have to enter into a life of training. Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely." We train wisely through practicing spiritual disciplines.

 

Disciplines are not a means or way to earn God's favor – It is not about winning God's nod of approval and assuming we need to win His approval. Disciplines do not earn us extra credit from God. We simply do not need "extra credit" because we have complete grace.

 

Disciplines turn our attention back towards God – Though we have God's full attention, ours often wanes away in another direction. Disciplines train us to turn our attention to Him. When One of the first things we learn when engaging in sailing, is how to adjust the sail, controlling the direction of the boat—this is to prevent one from drifting too far offshore. When we drift away from God, we must adjust our sails, bringing us back to the safety of His presence. Spiritual disciplines, through the wind of the Holy Spirit, adjust our sails so that we stay on course.

 

Disciplines should be seen as spiritual food – Viewing them as a menu and not a recipe. We choose from the menu according to our present spiritual state of hunger rather than attempting to partake of the entire selection at one sitting.

 

For instance, are you struggling with a lack of rest? Select from the menu "Sanctuary" and practice sitting before Him in silence, stillness, and solitude.

 

Hungry to hear His voice? Select "His Word" and dig in!

 

Suffering with a sense of discontentment. Choose "Gratitude" and begin to praise Him for his sufficiency.

 

Disciplines are the tools that train us and mature us to live our lives empowered by God. We arrange our lives around certain Biblical practices or disciplines that will enable us to do under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit that which we cannot do with mere willpower. John Ortberg describes a disciplined person as "one who can do the right thing at the right time in the right way with the right spirit." This is not merely a person who exercises many disciplines—this would describe the Pharisees. Rather, a disciplined follower of Jesus is one who is willingly and openly allowing God to change Him through the tool of spiritual disciplines.

 

Duty or delight—what will it be?

 

Discipline without direction is drudgery, but discipline with direction is pure delight.

 

Understanding the directives above should redirect your reason for practicing any spiritual discipline, enabling them to become not a duty but a sheer delight.