Many have grown up with the Christian faith being represented as one long

slog of discipline - Do this, Don’t do that, Try harder, Be better. This is

not what the Spiritual Disciplines are about at all. Rather they are tools

in the spiritual tool kit God gives us. Their job is to place us in a

position to receive more of God’s grace directly from him. It is only ever

grace that changes us. The two most common method for trying to overcome

our old sinful nature are both equally flawed: either we rely solely on

their will power, or we remain passive and hope for the best. By contrast

the Spiritual Disciplines involve our wills - we have to choose to engage

with them, but they rely entirely on God’s grace to change us. They are the

keys to how we mature in our faith, becoming better people, and come closer

to Jesus.