Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Braking or Steering

Miller uses the analogy of using a car's brakes or a car's steering wheel. When we become a Christian, many of us focus our efforts on all of the behaviors we have to stop doing, figuratively braking. Instead, Miller urges us to steer our way into new, Godly disciplines.

He says we should be starters more than we should be quitters. If we focus on developing spiritual disciplines, the behaviors which we had which were un-Godly will go away on their own.

I have been a Christian for a lot of years, so it is hard for me to remember what I did when I became a Christian. I remember that there were certain behaviors of mine which I stopped, believing that I had to in order to be a "good" Christian. I did start Bible study and attending church. Corporate worship and small groups became a way of life for me.

But were those really spiritual disciplines? Did those habits lead me to a deep relationship with God?

This post is inspired by the book Into the Depths of God by Calvin Miller.

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