prepare the right equipment

“May the God of peace . . . equip you with everything good for doing his will” (Hebrews 13:20 – 21)

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. We’ve all heard that, and it’s good advice that is worded like this in the book of Colossians – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” In order to run well the race set before us, we need to prepare the right equipment. Running with the wrong equipment can result in needless injuries, lost opportunities, eroded confidence, dashed expectations, and frustrated plans.

So what kind of equipment do we need? God has given us some very special pieces of equipment that are available to every believer. They’re variously known as “spiritual practices”, “spiritual exercises”, or “spiritual disciplines.” Richard Foster provides a list of 12 spiritual disciplines in his classic work, “The Celebration of Discipline,” that believers have practiced over the centuries:

• Inward disciplines – meditation, prayer, fasting, study

• Outward disciplines – simplicity, solitude, submission, service

• Corporate disciplines – confession, worship, guidance, celebration

Each of these warrants indepth study and attention, but even brief consideration of each of these disciplines can prod us into action. Foster’s book opens with, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people. The classic Disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths.” Doubtless, each of us practice some of these disciplines more than others, and it’s good to regularly consider each one because we all get into ruts.

The word “discipline” captures the idea that there is something we need to do in order to get the full benefit from this equipment that has been made available to us. We can grow in our ability to utilize to the fullest extent any piece of equipment (whether a paintbrush, camera, or spiritual discipline), with instruction and repeated use. Optimal physical health requires us to proactively pay attention to daily things like diet and exercise, instead of just reacting to problems when they crop up. Similarly, optimal spiritual health requires us to pay attention to regular practices, instead of relying only on mountaintop experiences with God. Spiritual disciplines help us to walk by faith and not by sight; spiritual disciplines help us to live more consistent and victorious lives; spiritual disciplines help us to be proactive, not reactive; spiritual disciplines fill up the wells from which we can draw. As we grow in our practice of the spiritual disciplines, we will be better equipped and ready for whatever terrain God sets before us.