“Nothing Little about Daily Disciplines”

This title comes from one of my old church’s elders, Brian Burkhalter. He said it anytime someone mentioned consistently sticking with Bible reading or prayer. The comment struck me as interesting. As a college kid, I had godly routines in place—actively in the Word and in prayer. But now, as an adult with a wife, five kids, work, and kids’ activities, I understand him better. I find it incredibly difficult to obtain the time or the desire to seek these daily disciplines.

When I look back over my life, I can see how my lack of discipline led to an increase in sin. I believe we see this formula in Colossians 2:6–8,

“6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

To be in God’s Word & prayer is to “walk in the Lord, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.” This discipline protects us from the errors described in v. 8. This time in the Word and prayer is the Lord’s loving provision as the good path to draw near to Him. When we seek to know the Bible and the God therein, we are consistently shown our sin and our greater Savior.

If you are like me trying to reestablish good disciplines or start them from the ground up, start with something easy. Maybe choosing a time in the morning to add just 10 minutes of Scripture reading. Ten minutes is better than none, and over months your time increases into many hours in the Word. As you win at a small goal, you can build upon it.

Caleb Nordquist