When Christian Disciplines Simply Become Duty

If you have been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, you have probably read a book or heard a message on Christian disciplines. Christian disciplines are the activities we engage in on a daily basis in our relationship with God. They include activities like Bible study, prayer, and gathering with biblical community. If you talk to someone who has been a Christian for over a decade, I’m sure they would tell you that there are times when the Christian disciplines are just that—disciplines. There are times when we read our Bibles and pray because we know that God asks us to come to him daily. And although our hearts may not be wandering, there is certainly no kindled fire of warmth during our time together.

There is a natural ebb and flow to the Christian life. There are times when you are maintaining your spiritual disciplines, and you feel the Lord is near. Circumstances aside, during these times, you know that God is leading you, beside you, and behind you. You may find yourself praying more or looking a little harder for God’s hand in your circumstances. There is an abundance of rest in these times because you know that you are not alone.

In this natural ebb and flow, however, there are times when you may be maintaining your spiritual disciplines, yet you feel far from God. Your routine may look the same as it did in the previous season, only now you feel that something is missing. May I suggest a few steps to take if you find yourself in a duty-bound season of spiritual dryness?

First, dedicate time to confessing your sins. You may think, “I confess sin every day!” But is there something you are harboring that is affecting your relationship with the Lord? If you ask, the Holy Spirit is faithful to reveal to you areas you may not even know are influencing you so greatly. Once your sin is revealed, confess it and begin ripping it from your life. This may be an extended time of confessing your struggle with your flesh, but the Lord will be faithful to forgive you. Turn toward Him, not away from Him. Know that God is refining you for your good and his glory.

Second, journal your prayers if you are not in the habit of doing so. Through the process of journaling, you can spend more time in praise by challenging yourself to fill complete pages in adoration and thanksgiving. Praying prayers of confession, praise, and thanksgiving takes our eyes off our situations and places our focus on God. Confession humbles us and reminds us that we need a Savior. Praise lifts our thoughts to our transcendent God and reminds us that he is sovereign. Thanksgiving prompts us to slow down and reflect on the many ways God has graciously blessed us, reminding us that all things flow from his hand.

Third, add hymns or poems to your daily Bible reading. No human words can ever compare with the inspired Word of God, but hymns and poems have a way of helping us pause and pursue beauty. Whether you sing the hymn or read it as a poem, the beauty of the written word can amplify a particular passage or theme of Scripture. It allows you to meditate on the truth you have just read about. By incorporating this into your devotional time, it may help you transition from a feeling of habit to one of desire.

Spiritual disciplines that form into habits are a good thing. In our Christian walk, we have daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal rhythms. We spend time privately with God daily, we attend worship weekly to reorient our affections toward God, we often worship through tithe, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper monthly, and our church calendar guides us through Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection annually. The rhythms that help us worship God rightly throughout various times are for our good. 

If you would like to read further on this subject, pick up Donald Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life or Glenna Marshall’s Everyday Faithfulness. Both texts encourage faithfulness during all seasons and offer more in-depth help than this simple article. Most of all, be encouraged to create disciplines that cause you to love the Lord more than this world. Kim lives in Oklahoma with her husband Jason and they have one adult son. She is Visiting Professor of Music and Worship at Oklahoma Baptist University and enjoys teaching classes on various aspects of worship studies. Kim completed her Ph.D. in Church Music and Worship from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and also holds degrees in Music History and Piano Performance from other universities. She enjoys spending time with her family in God’s creation, quilting, reading, and drinking good tea.