I Believe…
31 Days To Live Free…
My definition of living free is John 10:10. Jesus came so that we could, by choosing Him, live life in abundance. This intentional living is experienced spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Living out these spiritual disciplines has not been easy. Some of them have been far more difficult to grasp than others. Trust, patience, hope, and surrendering to the process were the most challenging.
12 Essential Spiritual Disciplines to Live Free…
- Believe – God is good, and only goodness flows from Him. He is infinite, and His resources are limitless. He is faithful and His Word and promises are true, and resolute. There will be many times when God’s way of doing things will not make sense, at all. So, the only way to believe God throughout the course of our lifetime is to relinquish our own understanding. John 14:1
- Love – God is Love, and everything that radiates from and through Him comes through lens of endless love. And because He loves us, unconditionally, we are commanded to love others without conditions. The only way to practice this spiritual discipline is through living out the love of Jesus Christ, not with our own strength and capabilities. 1 John 4:16
- Obedience – Submit every area of our lives to God. Full stop. Deuteronomy 28:1-2
- Surrender – Surrender to the process. Our desire to control our lives in innate. God’s ways and thoughts are not human. Therefore, they don’t align with ours. He sees from above into infinity. This discipline, and all other disciplines will require intentionality, moment by moment. Surrendering opens the gateway to Trust. Colossians 1:17
- Trust – Trusting God requires recklessly abandoning our need to understand everything. When I think of trusting God I see myself jumping out of an airplane, not seeing the safety net, but knowing that He is there. Proverbs 3:5-6
- Faith – God grows our faith, not in pristine circumstances, but through trials and difficulties. Faith is a gift. It’s a measurement that is assigned to us by God based upon our calling and our God-given purpose. Some of us will have more faith than others. Our life’s story is the fortification of our faith. Romans 12:3
- Forgiveness – Jesus’ unconditional love is the cornerstone of forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act of mercy, a gift of grace, and a blessing wrapped in the perfect sacrificial righteousness of Christ. Forgiveness is a mandate. It’s not an option. It’s also a choice. It begins with us and it’s for us. Because the one whom extends is the one who receives. Matthew 6:14-15
- Hope – Our hope and confident expectation is the Lord, not in our desired outcome. Hope requires trusting in, and surrendering to, God’s process. The sustainability of hope requires having trust and faith in the One whom is faithful. It also requires ditching disappointment with how and when God answers. Jeremiah 17:7-8
- Joy – Joy has a prerequisite, and it is gratitude. When we can look at our lives through eyes of faith, seeing and counting all of our blessings, joy is sustainable. The sustainability of joy is our strength because it does not rely on our own capabilities, it taps into His, Jesus. Psalm 28:7
- Gratitude – Gratitude is a celebration of love and thanksgiving for every gift, circumstance, and situation that we experience in life. With eyes of faith we can see God’s goodness in all things, especially in the most difficult and challenging life events. Gratitude changes the atmosphere of our lives, every time that express thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
- Patience – Knowing that God is faithful, and that He will not and cannot fail in our lives, allows us to persevere with great anticipation. When we trust Him we know that His timing is perfect. God is not late. Never. Although, it appears as though He comes through in the 99th hour, He is right on time. He is sovereign. And He is responsible for how and when He answers and moves in our lives. Our responsibility, perseverance. Psalm 27: 14
- Perseverance – Perseverance in life is essential for the fulfillment of our purpose, and for the sustainability of living free. We must run our race, living free, with trust and hope in God’s faithfulness. He will not fail us. Habakkuk 2:2-3
Q: I would love to hear your thoughts on the 12 spiritual disciples. Are there some that are easier to grasp than others, if so, which ones and why?
Joan, these spiritual disciplines are powerful and I am going to copy them down so I have them to study. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. It has encouraged me! Cindy
I am so grateful that the spiritual disciplines are a source of encouragement for you. I’ve updated the list, and included scripture. Let’s stay in touch. I am going to host a Spiritual Discipline webinar, create a bible study, and book. I am going to head on over to your corner of the world. Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Cindy.