4 Areas of Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual Disciplines are habits that help us in knowing, loving, and trusting God that are important life practices for every Christ-follower. They are not captured in one single passage but are seen throughout Scripture, and they are practiced and proven through the ages.

By being consistently implemented Spiritual Disciplines become holy habits that help people who have met Jesus learn how to be better followers and sharers of Him. As these habits grow, they guide our behavior and character in such a way that it becomes more natural for us to live Jesus-centered lives.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a good starting place, and it is framed around some different ways a Christian can grow in godliness: UP, IN, OUT, DOWN.

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UP | Communion with God
UP | Communion with God

We are created for communion with God. The Bible says, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This idea of lifegiving connection to God impacts and informs everything we are and do. 

Examples of Spiritual Disciplines: 

  1. Worship – personally and corporately setting aside time to bring honor and devotion to God. 
  2. Bible study – seeking to know God better through reading His Word (the Bible).
  3. Meditation – pondering a verse or passage from Scripture so that its truth can sink deeply into our being.
IN | Authenticity with Ourselves
IN | Authenticity with Ourselves

God wants us to be real with Him and others. We can’t do that without first being truthful with ourselves. In the spirit of “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23), we want to be honest about, aware of, and able to address anything that’s off in ourselves.

Examples of Spiritual Disciplines: 

  1. Prayerful Listening – processing life in prayer, asking God’s perspective and insight.
  2. Journaling – recording insights, feelings, and experiences to clarify the progress of your spiritual journey.
  3. Self-care – evaluating and addressing our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs for the sake of our best health and effectiveness.
OUT | Connection to Others
OUT | Connection to Others

A regular, expected part of the Christian experience is connection to others. We leverage relationships and interactions to serve, encourage, and “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). 

Examples of Spiritual Disciplines: 

  1. Serving – without a hope for recognition, we prioritize others in a way that demonstrates honor, kindness, and concern.
  2. Fellowship – being purposefully present with other Christians in environments like Grace Groups, Bible studies, and regular church attendance.
  3. Witness – actively sharing Jesus with others is core to the Christian experience.
DOWN | Denial of Self
DOWN | Denial of Self

The Christian who wants to follow Jesus must be familiar with the work it takes to “deny themselves and take up their cross daily” (Luke 9:23). Doing so functions as a reminder that God – and not our desires – are the authority, and that we do not ultimately depend on anything except for God. 

Examples of Spiritual Disciplines: 

  1. Sabbath – saying no to the toil and distraction of work in order to simply rest. 
  2. Fasting – saying no to food or pleasure for the purpose of increased awareness of our dependence on God.
  3. Simplicity – saying no to extravagance, materialism, and consumerism to instead choose contentment and gratitude for what we have.