September 2016 Spiritual Development
I remember in elementary school when I was learning my multiplication tables getting extremely frustrated at one point and asking my teacher why I wasn’t allowed to use a calculator to figure out the answers. That seemed like such a common sense solution to me at the time. I thought, “why wouldn’t I use a device that would instantly do the hard work for me?” Her response was, “You won’t always have a calculator with you wherever you go.” It made sense at the time, but guess what? I have a calculator on my cell phone that goes with me everywhere. So I guess my teacher was wrong. Or am I missing the point? My teacher knew that something as foundational as multiplication tables needed to be memorized and couldn’t be substituted by simply depending on a machine calculator. I’m thankful for this simple, yet profound lesson she taught me.
The problem is that many of us use this same logic for our spiritual lives as well. What need is there to memorize Scripture if I can simply access it on my phone? Why would I wrestle with the difficulties of Scripture when I can simply rely on the opinions of others who have done it already? The reason is because this is how we mature in faith. Relying on a “spiritual calculator” or anything other than your own personal time in Scripture will lead to spiritual stagnation. We need to be investing in ourselves spiritually and not merely relying on sources outside of ourselves as the primary means of our spiritual knowledge. In an age of Wikipedia and Google with every bit of information in the world at our fingertips the temptation to substitute these resources for the hard work of
learning and applying knowledge is fiercely present.
I’ve already mentioned one of the primary ways that this shows up in our context - the lack of Scripture memorization. We have had an English translation of the Bible for over 400 years. There are hundreds of translations in English. Within the last ten years we have seen the rise of the smartphone and tablet. We can take the Bible with us in our pocket or purse wherever we go. But for all the unlimited access, do we have much to show from it? Have we hidden God’s Word in our hearts? Are we well-equipped with the truth of the Bible? Or do we treat it like a spiritual calculator?
We may be able to use technology (physical and digital) as a resource, but it can never replace the need for us to learn by application. True spiritual maturity does not happen without the application of Scripture to one’s life. One does not grow spiritually mature by simply having more and more access to the truth. Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:7 to “train yourself for godliness.” This training requires spiritual sweat. The content of the Bible is what is able to “train you in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Has anyone ever become physically fit by only watching someone else work out? Has a Christian ever become spiritually mature by only watching someone else work out their faith? The answer is no on both accounts.
Suggested Resources
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney
Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes
Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes