T. David Beck: The Simple Way of Jesus

It's the time of the year when bugs of many kinds are hitting people -- flu, soar throat, cold, etc. Odds are, you are probably going to get sick before the winter is over. What do you do with your spiritual life when you are sick? You certainly pray and receive prayer for health. But what if you remain ill? Here are four ways being sick can actually work for your spiritual life. 1. Being sick is a way of pressing the "stop" button. Most of us live at too hectic a pace. It's one of the reasons we get sick in the first place. When we are sick, we have no choice but to stop all or most of our activity and simply rest. When we are stopped, it's a good time to simply be God's son or daughter. 2. Being sick reminds us of our weakness. Hand in hand with busy-ness is the illusion that we are more valuable to ourselves, the world,  and God when we are being productive and exerting control over our piece of the world. Laying on the couch because we don't fee...

2014 -- it's still very young, and it could be a year of great spiritual transformation -- if we know the right changes to make. Research has shown that the single most determinative factor in personal success is willpower. It's the commitment to stick with a plan even when the going gets tough. And nothing shores up willpower like setting goals. So here's my goal for 2014: By the end of 2014, I want to have an ingrained habit of praying continually -- filling countless moments throughout the day with communion with God, surrendering to him in the small things, and working prayer into the cracks and crevices of my life. I am done thinking this is a good idea or reading about someone else doing it. I don't need to read through Brother Lawrence's Practicing the Presence of God again (although I plan to do it anyway). This is the year I just do it. Little by little. Moment by moment. Letting mistakes go and staying focused on the goal. This has been brewing...