Training Myself to be Godly

Right now I am reading a thin, little book by C.J. Mahaney and John Loftness called, Disciplines for Life: Steps to Spiritual Strength. The book emphasizes the importance (and value) of cultivating consistency when it comes to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and Scripture memory and meditation. As I have begun to memorize my way through Psalm 119, while simultaneously realizing my own lack of discipline, this little book has been a timely exhortation of the absolute necessity of intimacy with God. This past week I read chapter two which is titled, Train Yourself To Be Godly. In this chapter C.J. suggests that developing a relationship with God involves the same dynamics as any other skill we might seek to develop: discipline, practice, and sacrifice. He goes on to suggest that apart from a private life of sacrifice, discipline, and daily practice even the most gifted individual will never reach peak performance. In other words, what we cultivate privately will directly affect our public appearance and performance. Therefore, the question I find myself asking today is this, "Do I understand the relationship between my private preparation and my public performance?" If I am truly committed to a life of godliness then I will discipline myself and train myself to pursue intimacy with God. A disciple is disciplined, and his training takes time. So I guess skill development takes discipline, practice, sacrifice, and...patience. May God grant us all diligence as we pursue intimacy with Him.