“Follow your heart! Do what makes you happy!” Pithy advice, to be sure, and quite common in the twenty-first century. We’re often told by celebrities, social media, friends, and sometimes even family that the desires of our heart are sacred above all and not to be ignored.

And, on its surface, all of this sounds wonderful! As Americans, this independent spirit runs deeply through our psyche. Our country’s founding document even proclaims that we as American citizens have an inalienable right to “the pursuit of happiness”…

Spiritual Disciplines. The mere mention of the topic conjures up in our mind images of Nacho Libre wearing a drab gray wool smock, a horribly bad bowl haircut living in poverty, praying and repeatedly cooking beans for the good of the order. The conclusion, that is great for a select few, maybe, but is it what Scripture means when talking about spiritual disciplines?