“Spiritual disciplines” are a combination of a particular set of methods to develop and strengthen spiritual growth among believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to Rebecca DeYoung, spiritual disciplines open the way to mature Christian spirituality and freedom (DeYoung, 2020). By practicing these “concepts,” a believer creates an atmosphere, developing the “relationships” with God and accepting the merciful power. In the book “Glittering Vices,” DeYoung maintains that “the great thing about the spiritual disciplines […] is that God will do whatever work needs to get done to bring you into a more virtuous state” (DeYoung, 2020). In addition, the writer classifies spiritual disciplines into two categories: the practices associated with abstinence from something and those involving a person in specific actions. A faithful Christian, first of all, abstains for the sake of exercising piety and preparing for any temptations. Such disciplines give a deep understanding of the struggle of the flesh and the spirit. In addition, observing the traditions of praying, worship, Christian communication, studying and reading the Bible, the believer rams the way to liberation the soul from the bondage of sin and the resurrection of the body in glory.
Indeed, the classical spiritual disciplines are antidotes that cure diseases that haunt people in their various manifestations. They get rid of vanity and of the false “I,” correcting formation, directing a person to the knowledge of the representation of the truths of the existing world and things (DeYoung, 2020). A person can subordinate themself to God and His creative work, deprive the world of the opportunity to fill life with their own values, and take away the time of communication with Him. God created man to have a relationship with the Creator, so every person seeks and reaches for the spiritual world. To truly experience the relationship with the Creator, it is necessary to learn spiritual disciplines.
The relationship between self-examination and the spiritual disciplines described by Rebecca DeYoung is manifested as follows. First of all, it is worth noting that self-examination and spiritual disciplines allow a person to develop a unified approach to the knowledge of life with God. Certain “practices” train the spirit, mind, and emotions so that a Christian becomes closer to the Father. These concepts help to see His will more clearly so that a person can live as He wishes better. Therefore, a Christian try to get into the depths of consciousness and psyche; he or she studies and learns their inner world. The more believers practice disciplines, the better they feel and understand themselves and believe more strongly. They seek to know themselves to become better, to get closer to the ideals and the divine goal. Disciplines develop an inner prayer life and lead to spiritual growth. The “practices” help to grow in understanding the Christian life and experience the church’s true reality. Through introspection and specific “actions,” human life is subordinated to the personality of Jesus Christ.
Summing up, in the scientific research “Glittering Vices,” DeYoung defines spiritual disciplines as a way of interaction between divine and human initiative. With the help of these disciplines, the believer clearly understands honest thoughts, emotions, and intentions, and the mind and body are transformed. Thus, a believer’s consciousness is subordinated to the person of Christ. The consciousness and heart of a person endowed with the love of the Word of God are rapidly changing, and the human soul enthusiastically and trustfully opens up to a new worldview.
References
DeYoung, R. K. (2020). Glittering vices: A new look at the seven deadly sins and their remedies (2nd ed.). Brazos Press.