Most people who set out on a journey make plans. It’s important to know where you are going and how you will get there. But very few people, even very few Christians, have a detailed plan for their spiritual life. Do you?

“Surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

In the ancient world, such plans were called a Rule of Life. It included daily, weekly, and seasonal schedules and sets of practices, relationships, and core commitments inspired by the Holy Spirit. The idea was to be intentional and disciplined in everyday life so that each day you would a little more time with Jesus, become more like Jesus, and do with your life as Jesus did with his.

Most Christians don’t use this kind of language today. The surprising truth is that whether you are aware of it or not, you already have a Rule of Life. It is your lifestyle. The life you have today is the by-product of how you live each day. Annie Dillard said it this way, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”1

Whatever you do, work at it as if your soul depends on it, as if you are doing it for the Lord, and not for yourself alone.

Colossians 3:23

There are many traditional, spiritual disciplines and practices that Christians have relied on to shape their Rule of Life over 20 centuries. Some of these practices are about removing distractions and creating space for something new. Some are about adding new practices into our lives. Some of the disciplines are done alone. Others are done together in community. This summer we’ll do a deep dive into some of the Bible’s most ancient spiritual disciplines: sabbath, solitude, prayer, fasting, scripture, community, generosity, service, and witness.

Every good plan and Rule of Life has a sustainable rhythm and a life-giving balance. It’s always good to start where you are, not where you think you should be. Aim for the life you want to live and the person you want to become. Intentionality and discipline will change you from the inside out and increase your positive impact on the lives of others.

Your Rule of Life lived out each day is your simple investment that returns beyond expectation. Remember, what you believe shapes how you behave. How you behave shapes who you become. The most important thing you will do today is not what you will accomplish but who you will become. Believe it. Behave it. Become it!

One of Your Partners Along the Way,

Pastor Jim