Daily Encouragement: Day 300

Adapted from Handbook to Spiritual Growth

THE DISCIPLINES OF ENGAGEMENT

There are three primary disciplines of engagement: the study of Scripture, meditation, and prayer.

• The discipline of the study of Scripture is the primary vehicle for laying hold of a divine perspective on the world and our purpose in it. It’s a pivotal practice for our spiritual nourishment and growth (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
• The discipline of meditation involves taking nourishment for our souls from Scripture and the person and work of God. Our minds are constantly dwelling on something. It’s only a matter of what. Meditation entails an effort to deliberately choose that upon which we will set our minds, and the skill of gently returning to it when we find that we have wandered.
• The discipline of prayer consists of communication with God, including talking directly and openly with Him just as we would talk with an intimate friend, and listening to Him (especially in His Word). When prayer is overlooked or appended as an afterthought to service, the power of God is often absent.