Monday, December 05, 2005
I mentioned a few posts back that I've been thinking/planning to re-incorporate spiritual disciplines into my daily and weekly rhythm. I was thinking about this today, and realized that a discipline I haven't read much about (perhaps because it's a bit vague) is moderation. Usually when we talk about disciplines, it brings up thoughts of fasting or silence or practices in which we eliminate something in order to devote ourselves to prayer, meditation, and quieting our souls. I don't know if I'm alone in this, but moderation is actually a more challenging discipline in some ways than abstaining from something. Moderation isn't black and white the way fasting is. It requires consistent attention and self-monitoring. It means enjoying things, without being controlled by them. It means placing proper value on things - as well as the giver of those good things. This is the kind of practice that shows up in everyday life - and not just during certain days or seasons in which certain disciplines are commonly exercised. When it does show up in life, and becomes habitual, it is more difficult to practice intentionality with the discipline, but I believe it will also create more time and space for God and others.
