disciplined.

I'm reading The Life You've Always Wanted by Ortberg.

The whole book is about spiritual disciplines, what they are and what they are not.
I get caught up a lot in the discipline being the 'practice that gives me points' ... that if I read my Bible every day and pray every day then I'm doing really well and if I don't read and pray every day then I'm not doing really well.

But spiritual disciplines are more than that. They aren't a gage that measures your closeness to God.

Ortberg writes " spiritual disciplines are not about trying to be good enough to merit God's forgiveness and goodwill. They are not ways to get extra credit or to demonstrate to God how deeply we are committed to him. They exist for our sake, not God's."

They are actions that in turn put us in a position to hear the voice of God.

"A disciplined follower of Jesus is someone who discerns when laughter, gentleness, silence, healing words, or prophetic indignation is called for, and offers it promptly, effectively, and lovingly."

Right now, that's is something I need to focus on. There are many around me who are struggling and I need to know what to do. What plan of attack I should take. That right there covers all the bases.

He also talks about joy being a spiritual discipline. And celebration. God is a joyful. Abundantly and overflowingly celebratory. And to live a life in him...we have to find that joy. In every day. In every moment. Good or Bad. Like Daniel says... we have to choose joy.

Putting yourself in positions that make you available to the soft whisper of God is the key to being disciplined follower of Christ.