Leading a disciplined life is a challenge. We’re trying to corral our time and put it to use for the Lord. All our time, and everything in it. Better seek some help. Today’s excerpt from The Disciplined Life is found on page 23:
“The Scriptures are clear that following Jesus Christ requires a team effort. Like athletics or most vocations, we all work better, we all improve and practice our disciplines more consistently, when we’re working as part of a team. The many ‘one-another’ passages of the New Testament make this abundantly clear: love one another, bear one another’s burdens, pray for one another, teach and admonish one another, encourage one another, and so forth.
“Simply put, discipleship requires companionship in the Lord. We need other believers to help us along the way in following Jesus, and this pertains to the disciplining of our bodies as well. We all need people in our life to help us specifically with this high calling of bringing the members of our bodies into submission to Christ, so that we can do the good works for which He has redeemed us.
“We all need such people in our life, people who know what we’re working on, what we’re struggling with, and what opportunities for using our bodies daily arise, and who will celebrate God’s victories in and through us as we are used by the Lord in His service. These are true friends, soul friends, not simply because we enjoy their presence or find them interesting or funny, but because they want us to succeed as followers of Christ. We know they will pray for us, encourage us, share their own triumphs and struggles with us, and help us, however they may, to become true and consistent servants of the Lord.”
For reflection or discussion
1. Do you think you would benefit from having a “soul friend” like this? Why or why not?
2. What do you think would be required of you in being a “soul friend” to someone else?
Soul friends can help us take up and maintain a life disciplined for following Jesus. Men with men and women with women, together we can build a strong community of people who are spending and being spent for one another’s souls. And that will mean more Christian disciplines are capturing the time of our lives, which can only be a good thing. Share today’s podcast with some friends. See if any of them are interested in becoming soul friends. Get together and discuss what that will require. You can download a free copy of The Disciplined Life by going to The Ailbe Bookstore. Get yours, then share it with all your friends.
T. M. Moore
