Jesus Over Everything

One of my great joys in life is mentoring students through a non-profit organization called Trinicy. 

This gives me the chance to meet individuals from all around the world. Each week, we study God’s Word and discuss what is happening in our lives. 

Last Saturday morning, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to meet my newest mentee.  She was fourteen hours ahead of me—hence the early time—and after hitting the snooze button for the third time, I dragged myself sleepily to the computer to chat, all the while thinking what a great sacrifice I was making to be up so early.

After a brief wait, she began joyfully sharing about her life.  As we talked, I kept imagining how I would respond if I were living her life. 

She lives in a third-world country experiencing a major economic crisis, works full-time, and catches the bus each day. She doesn’t have a computer, and our internet connection was very poor; this is her normal reality.  She never complained, but rather, she expressed joy and contentment.  

After listening to her for two hours, she asked me an unexpected question: “Di, what do your spiritual disciplines look like?”

Don’t Go Through the Motions

While I wasn’t expecting this question, I loved it because it prompted me to examine myself and ask the Lord to increase my hunger for His Presence.  And it took me to Paul’s words in Colossians 2:16-19:

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ. Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind. They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

Like Paul, I don’t want to go through the motions, become too attached to spiritual disciplines, and miss the entire point. The real substance and true meaning of this passage is found in Christ alone, and not in practice. 

We must not allow ourselves to be defined by outward regulations; rather, we should remain anchored in Christ, who is our true foundation. 

So let me ask you a question:

What Do Your Disciplines Look Like?

How are they shaping your walk with the Lord? Are any of your spiritual practices hurting your relationship with Christ? 

If routines take priority over connection, they can create distance. 

I don’t feel like I need to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to be more spiritual—nor do you—but I do think it is important to take stock of our spiritual practices.

Are you hungry to go deeper with Jesus? Is there a checklist you feel you must complete at the end of the day to feel good about yourself? These are the questions I ask myself.

Habits are really good, but not if they become obsessions.

Perhaps you’ve heard sermons leaning toward rules and legalism, which can create spiritual turmoil. Thankfully, the longer I’ve walked with Jesus, the more confident I am in knowing he wants a relationship with us.

How gracious is Jesus in accepting us, no matter how we come before him. His love brings comfort and reassurance, encouraging us to approach him freely and honestly.

All About Jesus

You might be familiar with the song by Matt Redman:

“I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus. I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it, when it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.”

In light of these words, here are some questions I am asking myself that I would love for you to consider: 

• Are you overfamiliar with Holy things? Are you leaning towards legalism or relationship in your spiritual practices?
• Do you need a spiritual mentor? Are you hungry for more of Jesus?
• How different would your lives look if you truly made everything you did all about Jesus?