Abstinence Disciplines – Spiritual Freedom For The Macro Child In Us

These disciplines require and perfect the biblical virtue of prudence. These are the perfect complement to a life where we struggle with vices, but really have no problem mustering the motivation to positively invest in the ‘engaged’ spiritual life. This is for the ‘macro kid’ in us. Going deeper into the disciplines of abstinence, the following will help:

Loneliness

Loneliness takes us away from the crazy world we live in. It gives us a perspective on the things that normally trap, worry and oppress us. The closer we are to the world, the further we are from God. However, expect resistance from others when we do this, as we have an innate ability to reinforce another’s need.

Be quiet

Silence is difficult to achieve and apparently underpins a good solitude. When we remain silent long enough, we give the ears of our heart and soul a chance to receive the echo of eternity: life’s very personal message to us. Turning off outside noise whenever possible is good discipline for going inside. So is wearing earplugs, especially when sitting alone in a grassy park on a sunny spring morning. Close your eyes. Shut off stimulation to the senses from time to time.

Fast

When we give up eating we delight in God. Thomas a Kempis said that if we gain control over the deadly sin of gluttony we are better able to control all the temptations of the flesh. Fasting challenges and sharpens all of our fundamental drives, our sometimes insatiable desires.

Frugality

The spiritually wise person knows that frivolous consumption and unbridled use of resources removes our dependence on God and inevitably damages our relationships with others. It is being frugal on our part, from our own perspective, and not in the light of others, that is, it is a personal discipline (as are all those mentioned).

Chastity

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The essence of chastity is not the suppression of lust but the total orientation of one’s life towards a goal.” [1] In this way we actively pursue and commit to a positive goal when we seek to be chaste. It’s good to occasionally abstain from sex so that intimacy in our marital relationships can flourish (without relying on sex for it).

Secret

“A chest without a secret is an open letter”, said Baltasar Gracián, and “What has to be done must not be said, and what has to be said must not be done”. Secrecy is possibly the most difficult of all disciplines because it hits both our egos and our need for security to be recognized. Properly practiced, secrecy puts our portfolio of public affairs (ie, our need to be publicly recognized) in God’s hands. It teaches us love and humility.

Sacrifice

Sacrifice is more basic than simple frugality, which is simply being thrifty in a world of surplus. The sacrifice is about total abandonment in God and abandonment of our security needs. It is giving away the last of what we have or need in the hope that God will inevitably provide. There is no short order there!

Give these disciplines a try, especially if you’re a ‘macro kid’ like me. More on Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding how God changes lives (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishing, 1988).

[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and papers from prison (London, England: Fontana, 1953), p. 163. Quoted in Willard, Ibid, p. 172.

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