20. Involuntary disciplines are the unplanned events of my life God uses to shape me.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

REFLECT ON SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT SEASONS IN YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, TIMES WHEN YOU FELT GOD TO BE THE CLOSEST AND YOUR FAITH GREW. HOW OFTEN DID THESE SEASONS INCLUDE DIFFICULTIES, SUFFERING, AND LOSS?

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT LED TO YOUR GROWTH?

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT YOU THAT LET THE SITUATION CREATE SOMETHING GOOD?

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT GOD THAT HELPED THE SITUATION CREATE SOMETHING GOOD?

Spiritual disciplines are typically thought of as activities we choose to engage in to shape us into a more Christlike person and help us experience the presence of Jesus. Spiritual disciplines are effective because they resist some of our natural tendencies like selfishness, laziness, greed, and apathy. Our undisciplined character prioritizes, even worships, what we possess, what we accomplish, our appearance, our status, and our pleasures, comforts, and entertainments.

Reprioritizing our values, reordering what we worship, can be assisted by spiritual disciplines, but this same reordering can also happen through misfortune, the trials and tribulations that life seems always to bring us. These unwelcome events and experiences can serve us in the same way that our spiritual disciplines do if we choose to let them. We might call them our “involuntary disciplines.”

Often, we fail to see the opportunity in the trials, frustrations, disappointments, failures, disruptions, and losses that life brings us. Our first reaction is to quickly mitigate the problem, reduce the discomfort, and re-establish the comfort that we have lost. If we think of these uninvited disruptions as opportunities, if we see them as indicators of areas in our lives that may need addressing, and if we welcome these trials as “friends” rather than “enemies,” we can experience a similar or even greater transformation then what we do with the spiritual disciplines.

“Never waste a good crisis” is a quote that reflects the opportunity to use a bad situation for our good. If we receive the difficulties of life as opportunities to grow and mature, we can experience positive transformation in our character and also find help to endure and preserver in these uninvited situations.