We have been practicing these spiritual Disciplines for a while now, and I think it would behoove us to take a step back and remember why exactly we are doing this. What is our motivation for wanting to practice these?
“When it comes to discipline in the Christian life, many believers feel it’s discipline without direction. Prayer threatens to be drudgery. The practical value of meditation on Scripture seems uncertain. The real purpose of a discipline like fasting is unclear.
Discipline without direction is drudgery. But the Spiritual Disciplines are never drudgery as long as we practice them with the goal of Godliness in mind. If your picture of a disciplined Christian is one of a grim, tight-lipped, joyless half-robot, then you’ve missed the point. Jesus was the most disciplined Man who ever lived and yet the most joyful and passionately alive. He is our Example of discipline. Let us follow Him to joy through the Spiritual Disciplines”
Donald S. Whitney Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Are we serving people, just so that more people are served? While serving people is good, it should not be our motivation. Our motivation should be Godliness. (1 Timothy 4:7)
So this first week, I want all of us to stop and think “what is the point?” I would like us all to come up with some personal goals related to these next two months of focused service. What do you personally want to accomplish? What do you want to learn? How are you serving right now? What are you doing that is service to others and God?
I also want us to spend this week with open eyes looking for ways in which to serve. I think it will surprise us how many different ways exist to serve others and God. As we go about our daily routines, I want to challenge us to look for simple ways to serve others. (Carrying a grocery bag, helping someone with their stroller, allowing someone to serve us, sending a note to someone, encouraging, inviting someone over…) I am not talking about going out and joining a service organization or trying to organize a massive project. I am talking about little things that all of us can do several times a day with little planning. As we go through these next 2 months the service will become more focused, but this first week I just want us to go about our normal days with our eyes open looking for service opportunities. Then on Friday, we will come together to discuss all of the opportunities. The purpose of this exercise is for all of us to realize how many opportunities there are, if we are willing to take them. Through this, I hope that our mundane daily activities will be transformed into opportunities to serve.
So, for Friday I would like all of us to come with a list of all the opportunities for service that you saw this week, whether you did the service or not. Please also come with a few personal goals related to service. Also, as we go through this study, please start each day by praying for open eyes and service opportunities.