We have begun this wonderful book, Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes, and are discussing it each meeting. The first chapter was really an introduction to the book, discussing the purpose of discipline and such. Hughes discussed the difference between a legalistic heart, and a disciplined heart:legalistic heart: self-centered, saying, "I will do this to gain merit with God"
disciplined heart: God-centered, saying, "I will do this because I love God and want to please Him."
How too easy, unfortunately, it is to read my chapter a day and check it off a list with the full motivation to earn favor from the Lord by doing so. We discussed how often we don't "feel" like getting in the Word and praying. But, Angela so wonderfully reminded us that we need to because we know that it is good for us. The goal is to be discipline and to live lives that are authentically driven, where we filter everything through a lens of pleasing the Lord, honoring Him, and knowing and loving Him more!
We answered the question, what hold us back from doing this? One of the most common answers was:
urgency- it is easy to make other things more "urgent," dishes, laundry, school work, etc.
Thus we must remember:
- we need to train ourselves to do what is good for us
- we need to protect time with the Lord, and guard it!
- we must deny ourselves--we NEED Christ!
- we make goals to reach the means--loving and knowing Christ more!
I am so thankful for this time and for the amazing women who are wiling to come and gather, share and recite memory verses, and love and pray. Thank you FBCN women for being such an integral part of my walk with the Lord!
Here are a few pictures of some of these wonderful women from our women's retreat!
"My heart and my flesh may fail. but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Pslam 73:26
