The whole goal of attempting a spiritual discipline is to bring your focus more squarely on God, and in doing so, deepen your relationship with Him. It makes for an ongoing improvement in your life, rather than an intensely painful means to an end. An in addition to being not-so-painful, there are disciplines to suit just about any preference; the book we're using (Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun) lists 62 options. We're covering a few of them, but there are a lot more that remain to be discovered. I'd completely recommend borrowing the book from Pastor Rich, or getting one for your own reference. I'm sure there's more to be said on each discipline than is covered in the book, but it's a great starting point to help you figure out just where to go.
So our first discipline this year is a repeat of last year- gratitude. You may not have everything you've ever desired (and Thank GOD for that!), you may not be exactly where you want to be, but all of us have some pretty amazing gifts sitting right in front of our faces. I showed you guys the quote that changed my perspective:
Not that God's just waiting to take things away from you, but thinking through this quote/question can really help you identify those little things that we often take for granted. Maybe you pray daily in thanksgiving for your family or friends, but what about some of those "standard" blessings we covered when we talked about India- for having running water and a hot shower? What about for the fact that you have easy transportation around town? The fact that you can read? Or that you have clothes and a coat to wear in the winter? When's the last time you thanked God for sending Jesus? For the ability to approach an all-powerful, glorious God and (through Jesus) be one of His children? We talk about growing our faith, but we also need to stop and be grateful for the fact that we have that gift of knowledge and relationship!
So what are some ways you can practice gratitude? The book has some suggestions: write a thank you letter to those who have touched your life, keep a gratitude journal, have a thank you party for those you'd like to acknowledge, stop comparing yourself to others, create a gratitude scrapbook. My suggestions are to use a breath prayer to refocus you when you get in a slump (look, another spiritual discipline!), thank God whenever you recognize something you like, love, or wouldn't want to be without, make a special time each day to pray in thanksgiving, take the time to say THANK YOU to those around you (holding a door for you, getting you your coffee/meal, letting you borrow the car), and make gratitude a habit, not just something for Lent. Lent is always a good start, but each of us, no matter our age or point in life, can easily slip into comparison, regret, and the "gimmies." Don't let yourself turn into a gratitude toddler. Find a way to make gratitude a part of your life- you won't regret it!
Our second discipline of the day was.... MEMORIZATION! For much of history, literacy rates were very, VERY low. It was very expensive to make a book, and only the upper classes and scholars even had access to the education it took to be able to read. So when people wanted to share information or stories, they had to be memorized.
Now, we have extensive access to books (I'm writing this across the street from a really big library, and there's a bookshelf behind me filled with different topics) and we have almost universal, instant access to the internet; some of you might even be reading this on your smartphones. When I have a question about a scripture passage, I can search for a biblical book, a phrase, or a close approximation to the verse I have in my head and end up with the right passage in less than a minute; I will probably even be given a list of suggested, similar verses. This is a huge benefit to me- and I use it often. But what happens if I don't have access to it? Either because the internet crashes (say it ain't so!), I'm restricted from using the internet (either by force or service range limitations), or I'm having a conversation with someone who desperately needs advice, but it's not appropriate to stop the talk to look up the scripture passage I'm thinking of? Even the beauty of the internet has an end to its reach.
But even within the ever-expanding limits of internet service and availability, there are still reasons to memorize scripture. First, it's for your benefit. If you're memorizing something, it's on the forefront of your mind. You're focusing. And in that focusing, you're getting to know God (and His will) better. Second, it's easier for you to recognize when someone else is misquoting scripture if you've got it memorized. Misquoting has been known to happen, whether intentionally or not. And if you know what a verse is meant to be, you'll know when what you hear/read isn't right. And finally, memorizing scripture gives your arguments, comments, and beliefs authority. Now, I'll grant that scripture doesn't hold authority if you're challenging a U.S. law, but when trying to figure out moral questions and spiritual conundrums, it definitely holds weight. I met a man the week after we discussed this, and I have to say, I was fully impressed by his knowledge of scripture. We discussed faith as he gave me a ride from the dealership to the church (my car needed some recalls fixed), and when he was able to point to specific passages, quoting them to me, it made me think about how often I give advice and thoughts based on things I know to be in the bible, but would have to take time to search them out online, if anyone were to ask me where to read it. I can't quote you a passage word for word, I can only summarize.
So perhaps you won't end up like the religiously-oppressed, young Christian woman we discussed (who prepared herself for her inevitable jail sentence by memorizing scripture and challenging her bodily comforts) and perhaps you will always have internet access. But perhaps you'll also see some real value in scripture memorization for your own faith journey and for the journey of those around you. If I didn't see the value before, I certainly have after my unexpected discussion during a short car ride; even if birthdays and anniversaries are beyond me, I'm going to try to memorize one verse a week (or if that's too much, at least one verse a month). Maybe you'll join me?
5 Minutes of God Time: Who am I by Casting Crowns
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