A Balanced Diet

I like hamburgers.  And ice cream.  And carrot cake.  And coffee.  I can justify eating them because after all, hamburgers supply protein, ice cream supplies calcium, and carrot cake and coffee are both made from vegetables.  Right?  Well, although that is true, these are not necessarily the most healthy way to get those nutrients in my diet, and if I only ate those, I would be unhealthy.  I have to conquer my temptations to just eat what appeals to me today, in order to have a more balanced diet. 

Isn't the same true in our spiritual diet?  It might be simpler and easier to read only books about the Bible instead of the books of the Bible. It is tempting, and easier, to read only the books of the Bible I am more familiar with, rather than working my way through genealogies or psalms or the more obscure prophets, to see the lessons they have for me.  And it's easier to read some scripture, pray a little, and pretend I've done my duty -- but that is hardly a balanced or complete diet.  

I was taught as a youth that "prayer is when we talk to God, and Bible study is when God talks to us."  But I've learned that prayer can be a time of stillness before God, and that he sometimes talks to me when I'm listening for him.  (If you want to see an example of that in the prayer life of the apostle Paul, you could read 2 Cor. 12:8-10.)  I've also learned there are many different ways to surrender myself to God's work in me than just prayer and Bible study. 

Here is a partial list of spiritual practices from the book "Spiritual Disciplines Handbook" by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.  These are a few ways of presenting ourselves before God, so he can form us into the image of Christ:  Celebration; holy communion; rule for life; worship; contemplation; examination of consciousness; journaling; rest; retreat; self-care; simplicity; slowing; teachability; unplugging; confession; discernment; silence; solitude; submission; accountability; chastity; community; discipling; hospitality; and the list goes on and on. 

One way to expand our ways of relating to God would be to explore one new discipline a month, for the rest of this year, and see what God teaches us.  Once your personal portfolio of disciplines is expanded, you'll have a much broader way of being taught by God, or of stopping during a difficult time and regaining your spiritual footing.  Why not give it a try?  And please let me know how it changes your life.