Spiritual Disciplines that Promote Spiritual Development

Spiritual development and spiritual growth are important biblical concepts because God wants His people to know Him deeply, live in a way that honors Him, and reflect His image. In the Bible, it is referred to as sanctification. Sanctification (as defined in Strong’s Concordance) means “consecration or purification, a sanctification of heart and life, holiness.”

It is a process of becoming more like Jesus, continually turning away from sin, and turning toward Him. Some verses in the Bible that point to the idea of spiritual growth or development in terms of sanctification:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. – Romans 6:22

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. – Ephesians 4:20-24

Other passages describe spiritual development and growth in comparison to an infant being on milk to a more mature person on solid food, like:

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain since you have become ill of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:11-14

The Christian view of spiritual development is different from other points of view, and it is important to remember that there are specific ways to grow in spiritual development through a biblical lens. These means will be discussed momentarily.

Why is spiritual development important?

Though it is common to focus more on other areas of health, like mental health or physical health, spiritual health is the most important. It is from one’s relationship with God that he or she can have hope and purpose and motivation to keep going when life is hard.

Spiritual development is crucial to health. Without growth, one will be stuck in an “infant” stage forever, never knowing God in deeper ways, living in the same way that he or she lived before becoming a Christian, living life on the surface, and never going deeper.

To become a mature believer, one must be committed to the life of a Christian, incorporating spiritual disciplines into daily routines so that one’s life is fully centered on Christ. God wants people to do this because He knows that this kind of growth brings joy and develops fruit. He knows that the world will see Him when they see a person who is growing spiritually.

What are “spiritual disciplines”?

“The classical Disciplines of the spiritual life calls us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realm. They urge us to be the answer to a hollow world.” Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

These disciplines are crucial to growth in the Christian walk. They are not just for clergy or leaders of the church. They are not just for Bible teachers or people who seem to have it all together. These disciplines are meant for all believers, every person who wants to grow.

They do require discipline to make a consistent part of one’s life, but they are meant for growth. Without them, there is no spiritual development. There is a brief discussion of each below. Two helpful resources on the disciplines are Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton and A Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.

A List of Spiritual Disciplines

The following list of spiritual disciplines for spiritual development is not exhaustive, but will hopefully be helpful as you consider ways to grow in your relationship with God.

Prayer

The main purpose of prayer is to know God more deeply. It is the means of communication with God, the most intimate moment that one can have with the Father. Prayer is central to spiritual growth – some even would say the most central.

Whether contemplative, a prayer of complaint or deep wrestle, corporate prayer, or the Lord’s prayer, it is all-important. If prayer is not a part of your routine, you are missing out on a connection with God and the very thing that grounds you in your life.

Though there are many books on prayer, a couple of helpful resources to help you understand prayer and cultivate a healthy prayer life are Prayer by Timothy Keller and Prayer by Richard Foster.

Meditation

Meditative (contemplative) prayer or meditation on scripture can be a practice that greatly increases one’s faith. It teaches you to listen to what God could be trying to teach you. It is different from secular forms of meditation, as many teach an inward focus. Christian mediation is the practice of “setting one’s mind on things above.” One app that teaches you how to still your mind, focus solely on God, and meditate effectively is called Abide.
Fasting
Fasting is one of the more difficult disciplines because it requires a sacrifice of something, like food or types of food, for a while. It wears on the body and the mind, but many use it in seasons to gain clarity, to focus on Jesus, to turn to Jesus to fill every need instead of whatever it is they give up in the fast. It can be a rewarding and worshipful experience. There are many different types and forms of fasting, and it is best done with reliable spiritual direction.

Studying of Scripture

Without a study of scripture, there is no spiritual growth. More and more people are losing the value of studying the Bible in their daily lives, but they will not know God without reading and studying scripture.

It is their lifeline, their daily bread, the very fuel of growth. It is the main way God reveals himself, the main way that someone can know Him deeply. A couple of great resources for the study of scripture for beginners is He Reads Truth and She Reads Truth.

Solitude

Many Christian traditions have seen spending time in intentional solitude to be reserved for monks, that the rest of the world should be “in the world, but not of it.” However, in recent years, the discipline of solitude has been revisited and many have seen the power of the practice. To practice times of stillness, quiet, and solitude, you must schedule it.

Set time aside for it, and no matter your stage of life, make time for it. If you are not still in the presence of God, often you will not hear what He must teach you. Though community is vital to spiritual growth, solitude is also vital. Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton is a helpful resource for you to begin this practice.

Service

Volunteer work and service are widely known to be helpful to one’s personal development, but the Christian walk requires them. Christians are taught to serve one another in radical ways, so if this is not a part of your routine at some level in your walk with God, you will not grow. Your walk with God will only be focused on yourself.

Confession

In some denominations and segments of faith, confession is a more formal practice. In any form, confession to God of sin is not only a part of the salvation process but a part of the sanctification process also.

Confession is healing, and it should not be neglected because sin is something you will do for the rest of your life. Confession of sin to God or a safe other will help you acknowledge it in brokenness and move past it, accept God’s grace, and be intentional about not doing it again.

Worship

This could be corporate or private, but adoration and worship of God should almost be second nature to someone who has been changed by Jesus. You must worship the One who gave His life for you. Worship comes in many forms, and if it is centered on praising God, it is right.

Community

Though not often included in a list of disciplines, community with other believers on a regular basis is one of the most important. You need others in your life to be able to walk with you in good and bad times, speak truth to you when you need to hear it, and hold you up when you fall. Make sure to have time in your life with other like-minded believers.

Sabbath

This discipline will be the final one discussed here, but the Sabbath is a practice often taught in Christian spheres today. It is still practiced by devout Jews, but Christians are seeing the importance of the practice again. It is the setting apart of one day a week for rest, rejuvenation, and worship.

Though many find it nearly impossible to set aside an entire day in a week, this is the traditional way of implementing the discipline. If this is something that you struggle to put in your routine, seek a spiritual mentor, pastor, or counselor to help you create healthier rhythms in your life.

Though a discussion of the spiritual disciplines only touches on spiritual development, they form the foundation for all growth in your life. If your daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly rhythms do not incorporate all of these to some degree, it is time to be intentional and fill your soul with these disciplines.

These practices will carry you far beyond basic mental health and physical health practices. They will draw you closer to God, and there is nothing more important.