February 10, 2021
1 Thought
If I had to guess, you're familiar with seasons of life where you might have taken on too many things and were overcome by busyness, or you might have felt stuck in a spiritual rut that you couldn't seem to get out of, or you might have been healthy and actually had room for extra resources to grow and flourish in life.
Whatever the case, you've realized that a little bit of structure is a good thing and you know that utilizing structure helps you keep cultivating life into how God has intended you to live.
This is why you need a rule of life.
What is a rule of life? The ancient definition of "rule" actually comes from a Greek word meaning "trellis". A trellis is just a simple wooden structure made up of squares in a pattern that looks like a chessboard that stands upright. Its purpose is to provide a simple frame that allows a vine to grow, flourish, and develop beyond what it could without the trellis.
A rule of life then, is the same thing. It's a simple framework that's meant to provide you with structure so that you can grow, flourish, and develop beyond what you could without the rule of life.
Different leaders in the church throughout history have used rules of life to stay focused. For example, St Augustine of Hippo, well-known and profoundly influential theologian, cultivated his own growth through a rule of life.
Though he crafted his when he lived in the 4th century and our day is marked by different leaders, different issues, and different cultures, the goal remains the same for followers of Jesus: we all want to live in relational union with Jesus. We all want a continual spiritual growth that transforms us more and more into his likeness. That spiritual growth does not happen without intentional focus and intentional commitment.
Here are two things to keep in mind as you craft your rule of life:
It needs to be your own: You are a unique, God-created human being. God has written your story in such a way to give you specific passions and values. Your rule of life is your own tool to help you align your day-to-day with those passions and values.
It needs to be simple and flexible: Seasons change and so do we. Structure done right will give freedom, not enslave you. A rule of life then, is meant to give you the space you need to hear how God is leading and to pay attention to the parts of your life that need more attention and focus.
As a bonus, I'm offering you a downloadable PDF here (you won't get any additional emails) that will give you a starting framework for your rule, a prompt for what to fill your framework with, and a guide for turning your focus areas into actionable habits. May it bless you on your journey to maturity and flourishing!
1 Resource
Ruth Haley Barton on a a rule of life:
"It is not until after we have settled into our desires and named them in God’s presence that we are ready to be guided into the spiritual practices that will open us to receive what our hearts are longing for. But a rule of life is not a glorified self-help project. It is rooted in the understanding that we cannot transform ourselves, or anyone else for that matter, but what we can do is create the conditions in which spiritual transformation can take place. We can develop and maintain a rhythm of spiritual practices that keep us open and available to the work that only God can do in our lives."
Source: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
1 Question
If God spoke to you today, how able would you be to turn aside to listen?