(Post by: Lilly Hobbs)
If I’m honest, spiritual disciplines can easily become routine.
Read the Bible.
Pray.
Lead a Bible study.
Repeat tomorrow.
From the outside, those things look like a strong spiritual life, and in many ways, they are good and necessary practices. However, I’ve realized something over the past few years: it is possible to practice spiritual disciplines regularly without letting them truly challenge and change you.
There is certainly danger when we ignore the disciplines altogether.
But there is an even greater danger when we master the routine and avoid transformation.
The Discipline of Scripture
For several years now I’ve participated in a program called Biblein365, where I read through the entire Bible each year. I love the rhythm it creates. There is something powerful about consistently walking through the whole story of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, year after year.
Consistency alone is not the goal, however.
Some mornings it would be easy to read the passage quickly just to stay on schedule. The plan says read four chapters, so I read four chapters. Box checked. Move on with the day.
Yet God’s Word was never meant to be rushed through like a task list. Scripture is meant to expose us, correct us, and reshape our thinking.
The moments that have changed me the most were not when I simply completed the reading plan. They were the moments when a verse forced me to stop and ask hard questions such as…
Am I actually living this?
Do I really believe what this passage says about obedience, humility, or sacrifice?
Reading the Bible every year has slowly stripped away the illusion that spiritual maturity comes from knowledge alone. The more I read, the more I realize how much I still need Jesus to radically change my heart.
Prayer That Confronts Me
Another discipline that has become meaningful to me is praying while walking outside.
I started doing this partly because it removes distractions. When I pause the music or the podcast, I’m forced to slow down. There’s nothing to listen to, nothing to be distracted by, and nothing competing for my attention.
But those quiet moments can also become uncomfortable.
When the distractions disappear, so do the excuses. Prayer becomes less about saying the “right things” and more about honestly bringing my heart before the Lord.
Sometimes those walks are filled with gratitude and peace. Other times they expose areas where I’m holding onto control, pride, or worry. Prayer has a way of revealing what’s actually happening beneath the surface of our lives.
The more I pray this way, the more I realize that prayer isn’t just about asking God to change circumstances. Often, He uses prayer to change me first.
The Responsibility of Discipling Others
One of the disciplines that has challenged me the most is discipling others and helping lead Bible studies.
It’s one thing to read Scripture privately. It’s another thing to sit across from someone and encourage them to live it out.
Discipleship forces a level of accountability. When you’re helping others grow in their faith, you quickly realize that you cannot simply talk about obedience, it is necessary that you pursue it yourself.
There have been many moments while preparing for a Bible study when a passage convicted me before I ever had the chance to share it with someone else. Teaching Scripture has repeatedly reminded me that I am still a student of Scripture first.
And honestly, some of the greatest encouragement has come from watching the Lord work in the lives of the people I’m discipling. Seeing someone grow in their understanding of Scripture or develop a deeper hunger for God reminds me that spiritual formation is never meant to happen alone.
The Real Question
Spiritual disciplines are good, and they are absolutely necessary. They help anchor our lives in God’s Word and create space for Him to work.
But the real question we should ask ourselves is this:
Are our disciplines actually changing us?
Are they confronting our pride?
Are they exposing areas where we need repentance?
Are they deepening our dependence on Jesus?
Or have they simply become another comfortable routine?
The purpose of spiritual disciplines has never been about spiritual performance. Their purpose is transformation. If we are willing to allow the Lord to use them in the way He intends, they will challenge us far more than we expect.
So, the question is not whether we practice spiritual disciplines, but whether we are willing to let the Lord use them to truly change us.
“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)
The Few 
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