Structure in your spiritual life isn’t about controlling the Spirit’s work, but opening more of yourself up to the Spirit’s work.

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
I Corinthians 9:25

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:3-9

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew 13:18-23

What type of soil are you?

Bottom Line

Your practices reflect your priorities.

The motivation behind having a plan in your spiritual life isn’t duty, it’s desire.

How to approach discerning and crafting a Rule of Life

• Start where you are, not where you think you should be
• Think subtraction, not just addition
• Take a balanced approach, including both guarding and guiding practices
• Keep in mind your personality and how God has wired you
• Keep in mind your season of life and the challenges and opportunities it presents

How to create a Rule of Life

1. Do this prayerfully
2. Start with a more specific hope or direction
3. Brainstorm big but implement small and slow
4. Think through frequency
   • Daily
   • Weekly
   • Monthly / Seasonally
   • Annually
5. Make it visible

Action Steps

Prayerfully reflect on the following questions:

• Look at your life as objectively as possible: What are some of the things that go into your current rule of life? What does this reveal about your actual priorities?
• Where do you hope to be in your relationship with God?
• Where are the gaps? What are you currently doing that might be leading you away from that goal (guarding)? What is something you could do to help you grow towards that (guiding)?

Practice

• Create an intentional rule of life to try for a month