Where does the energy of your life go?  To what do you devote your time and attention? Are you trying to perfect your backhand in tennis?  Are you hoping to read the complete works of William Shakespeare or of Annie Dillard? Do you want to learn to whip up a mean soufflé? 

Do you spend hours playing chess or working out in a gym? Do you have endless conversations with your closest friends, always hoping to know them better and to be known yourself in ever deeper ways?  Do you have a beauty routine that takes time? 

Probably you are surmising that I'm cataloguing many of the ways that women spend their lives and days, outside of the rounds of work and chores (which have their own necessary tasks that demand practice and attention).

Have you ever watched people taking lessons in, let's say, tennis?  Do you recall the rapt attention and the intense concentration? Think of the repetitive drills for each stroke and each motion that help a game eventually come together with fluidity and look effortless. But only after hours on the court in effort and practice.

How much more does our life of faith require attention and discipline? True, we don't want a mechanical faith. And no, we are not responsible in and of ourselves to huff and puff and force our way through spiritual growth.

God is faithful to draw us to Him, to put in us an impetus to seek Him, to woo and beckon us to spend time with Him so that we want and need Him for sustenance and for our every breath. 

Yet we can enter into disciplines as means of grace. Spiritual disciplines are akin to weight-lifting, a process that builds in us bigger spiritual muscles which, in turn, can handle more and more "weight" over time, as we mature. 

What do those drills look like?  There are some classic spiritual disciplines that have appealed to and been used by Christians throughout the centuries. 

There are different interpretations as to what are "classic" spiritual disciplines, but most lists include a delineation between disciplines of abstinence (putting off the old self) and practice (putting on the new self). Disciplines of abstinence include sacrifice, secrecy, silence, solitude, and fasting (from food, yes, but perhaps also from technology or a particular habit). 

Some of these are self-evident, but perhaps a couple of them need elaboration.  "Secrecy" refers to doing whatever we are called to do or choose to do without any attendant praise of other people.  We abstain from the benefits we might obtain (good reputation, accolades, awards) if people knew that we were giving, praying, or serving.  "Sacrifice" involves abstaining from doing or buying things that we normally think we must have.

There are other disciplines that we take on (often called disciplines of engagement), like confession, praise, fellowship, worship (alone and corporately), prayer, Scripture study, meditation and memorization, gratitude (to God and also expressed about and to other people), a renewed commitment to obedience, and service. 

We can seek ways to engage the problems of the world, perhaps the environment or the needs of aliens (immigrants), widow, and orphans or--simply--our neighbors.  We are called (in the Ten Commandments no less) to practice a Sabbath.  This could be seen as a discipline of abstinence (in what we don't do) and also an engagement in something wonderful (a day for rest, prayer and play).

Often when we feel a need to have more of God, to connect with Him at deeper levels, we can be tempted to think "I'm going to change my life and really be different." Yet it's often wise to take incremental or baby steps, perhaps adding a new discipline one at a time. 

It's also a good practice to ask another believer to hold us accountable for the changes we intend to make and for the disciplines of abstinence or engagement that we choose. 

There can be a temptation to focus on the disciplines as ends in themselves, but that would just drop us into a legalistic stance. The disciplines are means of finding richer communion with God and of orienting our lives to make us available to whatever He wants to do in and through us. 

To the degree that we can make our spiritual practices as natural as breathing, eating, and brushing our teeth, we can begin more and more to live in a rhythm of abiding in Christ, drawing our power from Him. 

And just think… there are probably already areas in your life in which you are engaging in routines, practice, even drills that help you meet goals and grow.  How much more fruit will grow in your life when you are disciplined (at God's behest and also pruning yourself and your habits and schedule) in the ways of God, in the means of grace that He provides for us to live more deeply and fully with Him.

© Cary Campbell Umhau for Inspire! Women's Mentoring Ministries. Cary is a freelance writer and editor, Bible teacher and speaker.  She is a wife, mother and experienced mentor.  She has also worked professionally in catering, eBay sales, discipleship and marketing. She loves reflecting on the relevance of the Bible to the diverse and seemingly unrelated elements of our lives.