Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

The analogy of disciplining your body physically has really helped me to understand disciplining yourself for the purpose of Godliness. This book focuses on the spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, journaling, evangelism, Bible intake, service, fasting, stewardship, silence and solitude, and learning. Whitney said that Godly people are disciplined people. He writes, "In my own pastoral and personal Christian experience, I can say that I've never known a man or woman who came to spiritual maturity except through discipline. Godliness comes through discipline." He talks about three things God uses primarily to change us: people (friends, enemies...), circumstances, and Spiritual Disciplines. He says, "Sometimes God uses our friends to sharpen us into more Christlike living, and sometimes He uses our enemies to file away our rough, ungodly edges. Parents, children, spouses, coworkers,customers, teachers, neighbors, pastors-God changes us through these people." Referring to circumstances, he talks about how God uses things such as financial problems, physical conditions, and even the weather to turn us toward holiness. Then he talked about the Spiritual Disciplines saying, "We often have little choice regarding the people and circumstances God brings into our lives, but we can decide, for example, whether we will read the Bible or fast today. So on the one hand, we recognize that even the most iron-willed self-discipline will not make us more holy, for growth in holiness is a gift from God (John 17:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 2:11)." Then he went on with the analogy that really struck me, "Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as spiritual exercises. To go to your favorite spot for prayer or journaling, for example, is like going to a gym and using a weight machine. As physical disciplines like this promote strength, so the Spiritual Disciplines promote Godliness." "Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness." 1 Timothy 4:7