There are two kinds of spiritual disciplines.

The first kind of spiritual disciplines are the ones we choose. We understand these disciplines. The reason why we choose spiritual disciplines, often during the Lenten Season, is because we have a heavenly Father who sees us, who longs to draw us close and who wants to bless us with his presence, his compassion and he wants to grant us the grace to grow in our personal relationship with him.

It is not easy to set aside more time, energy and money for prayer, worship, meditation and sacrificial outreach to those in need.

But we agree that these disciplines we choose are never as hard as the spiritual disciplines we do not choose.

Jesus teaches about spiritual disciplines we do not choose for ourselves in Matthew 5.  In Matthew 5:11 he says, "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers."  We never choose these disciplines for our spiritual growth - yet our Lord allows these episodes and events into our lives. Why would he allow trials of many kinds in our lives?

First of all, the spiritual disciplines you don't choose are described by James in James 1: 2 – 9 as trials of many kinds. They come in very personal shapes and sizes. But they have this in common: they test our faith. We are asking questions like, "What possible value could this situation have for me?  " And our faith is tested!

Now, how do we deal with tests we did not choose in order to grow into the spiritual maturity God desires in our lives?  There are at least three ways we can respond.  

Sometimes we rebel!  The first way we could respond to trials and tribulations is to fight against it, to get angry with people, with the world – with anything and anybody who had something to do with this.  Yet, there is no comfort, joy or growth on this path.

Or we can respond by resigning.  You start to believe that you are powerless in this trial and simply surrender to its painful reality. And this leads to a sense of subjection without hope that brings despair.

Or you can rejoice, as Jesus suggests in Mt 5: 11 and James in James 1:2.

Jesus says, God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you. Here is how he says you deal with that:  "Rejoice and be glad."  I want you to face that trial by a power of remaining glad - the power of rejoicing!

James says in James 1:2, "Whenever you face trials of many kinds, the testing of your faith, this is what you do: "Consider it pure joy."

It is a hard journey, but not impossible! And it takes you to a place of "choosing what you did not choose."

It is painful, it hurts and it remains hard.

But you say nonetheless "I choose to accept this situation as a situation in which God can work, in which I believe God's love cannot be stopped and he can work through this for my good and for his glory.

James teaches that because we choose to grow spiritually during this time of trial and tribulation and testing of our faith, it will bring us to a place of maturing spiritually and we will receive the gift of perseverance as a result of this choice.

And suddenly you notice an insightful difference on how you look at what happens to you! Instead of merely enduring it, you receive the freedom to grow as a disciple of Christ and to become stronger through God’s gift of perseverance.

Instead of something being taken from you, by choosing to grow within a situation you did not choose as a discipline, you see that because you have to mature through it, it is becomes a gift – a gift that makes you glad and rejoicing!

What was a dark prison without a door becomes your paradise in the presence of the Lord who sustains you, matures you - and most of all, loves you till the journey’s end!