Day 133: How Can We Implement The Exercises Practically?
As we close out this week, I though it might be helpful to share some of my own experience in experimenting and figuring out how these things work for me. Again, it is important to emphasize there is no formula or “one size fits all” model for the spiritual exercises. You will have to experiment and see what works for you. The MAIN THING is training ourselves to keep our focus on Jesus.
First of all, a visual:
This graphic is meant to help you visualize the exercises and practices so that you can think about some of the ways that they relate together. This representation is one way that these make sense to me. The three core, main exercises are the pivot points that link all the others together. The supporting actions and attitudes are there to help support and connect the core ones. All of these are interrelated and as you experiment, you will figure out what works best for you.
Some Practical Ideas: The Time Budget
One piece of the puzzle that we have already introduced briefly is time. Spiritual growth to maturity takes time. An important aspect of time is learning how to manage it well. Each week, we have 7 days and 24 hours in each day. That is 168 hours each week. That is all the time that is available to each of us. That is also all the time that Jesus had each week and He was able to accomplish the Father’s desires for Him in that time. So can we.
In the time that is available to us, we need to prioritize what we are going to do. In my own experience, I rank things in this order:
1) Rest,
2) Relationship with Father God and “alone time”,
3) Relationship with Family and Responsibilities,
4) Relationships with Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
5) Relationships with all others.
It may seem odd to put rest first on this list. The reality is, if you are not getting enough rest, everything else will tend to fall apart. So, you have to figure out how much sleep and rest you need in order to function well. In the Creation narrative in Genesis, the 7th Day of God’s rest is the only thing that was pronounced holy and later the Hebrews were commanded to set this day apart as a day of rest. Rest is a way that we experience the grace and care of Father God.
Next comes keeping up with relationships. Of first importance is our relationship with Father God. Give Him your best time, when you are able to be most focused and rested. For me this is in the morning. This is when I do most of my reading, studying, listening, and praying. It may be different for you.
Then comes our close family relationships and all the responsibilities that go along with them like jobs and such. After that our brothers and sisters in Christ and then all others. There is a lot to be said about this and we will touch on some of it in our next study unit.
Practicing Hearing and Seeing
My main vocation centers around study and meditation on God’s Word in order to teach and train others. Nevertheless, I still have to set aside time to focus on hearing from the Lord without distraction. I need to be away from others, in a quiet space, without any noise and distraction to do this well. I find that the morning is the best time for me, before I become mentally tired.
Practicing Praying
This one has been the most challenging for me. I recently discovered two things that have helped: 1) when I am doing “mindless” things—driving in the car, working outside, etc.—I find it is easy for me to focus on prayer. I can’t just sit still, in the quiet, and focus on prayer, which leads to 2) when I am “busy,” working with my hands, I find it easier to focus on prayer. I have discovered that “external work” helps me quiet my inner self. You will need to discover what works for you.
Practicing Service
Again, start serving those who are closest to you: parents, wife, husband, children. If we are not loving the people who are closest to us well, it is unlikely we are serving others well. If you are willing, The Lord will open many opportunities for serving others: keep your eyes and ears open.
We have purposefully tried to stay away from prescribing things for you to do. You will have to spend time trying out new things and experimenting to see what works best for you. We believe that the CORE exercises are key because in the Scriptures we are repeatedly encouraged to do these things.
And a final word for the week, one more time: The goal of all these exercises is to help us focus on Christ and live in a way that is pleasing to Him as we follow His way. If we practice them out of any other motivation, they will not help us achieve the desired outcomes.
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
