I’ve been reading The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell. In the chapter called The Law of Consistency, he shares a powerful quote:
“Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.”
Maxwell is primarily speaking about leadership, but as a pastor, I believe there’s an important application to be made for our spiritual growth. I think one of the reasons many Christians grow slowly—or sometimes not at all—is because we lack the discipline it takes to keep growing. We go to church on Sundays, join a Bible study here and there, maybe listen to Christian music during the week. Those things are important and give us some good motivation. But without daily habits and routines, that motivation often fades away.
“But without daily habits and routines, that motivation often fades away.”
Let me encourage you to build some spiritual disciplines into your life. Donald Whitney has a great book called Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. He not only explains why disciplines matter, but he also unpacks practices like prayer, silence and solitude, learning, stewardship, evangelism, and serving. These aren’t just “extra things” for super-Christians—they’re everyday habits that help us grow in Christ.
As you examine your spiritual walk, is your spiritual growth (or lack of it) only coming from brief sparks of motivation, or from ongoing disciplines and habits you’ve built?
