Intimacy and Discipline — The Journey Begins

The Goal and the Means

I’ve discussed two important words - intimacy and discipline.

• Intimacy is being open and vulnerable before God, willing to share your deepest fears, your most guarded secrets, and your greatest joys without feeling ashamed.

• Discipline is the way to that closeness - intentionally developing interior order through obedience.

If intimacy with God is the goal, discipline is the path that leads us there. That path is often slow, unnatural, and difficult. These practices can feel unfamiliar because they go against our natural urges to meet immediate needs.

We won’t become a John Wesley overnight or a Mother Teresa by the weekend. But if we wrestle with these spiritual disciplines, try them, and make space for them, they will begin to take root. The changes won’t just be visible to us - others will notice too.

Call to Action: This week, choose one small discipline you can start - and commit to it for seven days, no matter how awkward it feels at first.