In the previous devotional I encouraged us to think about spiritual disciplines. According to Jeff Loach, they are “historically and biblically rooted ways to deepen your relationship with God.”

They are faith-based practices which form you to be more like Jesus. I referenced Bible-reading, prayer, corporate worship, and fasting. These are some of the most common. But there are others like silence and solitude, journaling, giving, fellowship, and servanthood.

In 1 John 2:6 the apostle says: “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” And Jesus practiced many of these spiritual disciplines. They were ingrained into his way of life.

It was a blessing to be able to sit down and interview Jeff about the spiritual disciplines. (If interested, you can link to it below; it may be a great resource not only for you but for your church family.) Among other responsibilities, Jeff is an adjunct professor of spiritual formation at Tyndale seminary in Toronto. The thrust of our conversation wasn’t just for him to explain key spiritual disciplines, but to discuss how they help you love others.

How they help you love others.

This is a critical—yet often neglected—aspect of spiritual disciplines. Sometimes we can assume that these practices exist simply to help us cultivate an internal me-and-God relationship. That is a good thing, but it’s not the only thing.

Quoting Robert Mulholland Jr, Jeff stressed that spiritual formation is a “process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.”*

I hope that this insight isn’t just educational but motivational. God uses these faith-based practices—whether they be Bible-reading, prayer, times of solitude, or fellowship with other Christians—to make you more like Jesus. And this, brothers and sisters, enables you to better love the people around you.

We all need stepping stones. We can’t jump from the basement to the main floor in one leap. We need a staircase. We ascend one step at a time. These practices are like steps. Jesus goes first, we follow. God gives us the disciplines and we move forward by his grace for the benefit of others.

The accumulation of physical muscle requires time at the gym. The accumulation of spiritual muscle requires time in the disciplines. 

When we do so we will be better equipped to love and bless the people around us.

---

Notes and extra content:

— PODCAST: “How spiritual disciplines help you love others—a talk with Jeff Loach.” You can access it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan,’ or click here to listen or watch on YouTube.

–*This is from Muholland’s book, Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.