“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2 also forms a good framework for specific spiritual training. Like we discussed in the last post on general spiritual training, we will also focus on spiritual disciplines and renewing our mind.

And like last time, these are ideas, not a prescription or shortcut to transformation. These specific suggestions should work in tandem with our general spiritual training with Jesus.

If I were training with Jesus for contentment, here are some spiritual disciplines I might discuss with him about practicing.

I would devote regular prayer specifically targeted at my discontentment. As part of my prayer, I would also do an inventory on the areas of discontentment. Remember, discontentment isn’t always about material things or about a single item. It could be discontentment about my education, my intelligence, my reputation, my marital status, my friendships, my job, my creativity, my physique, etc. I would pray about when this discontentment may have started and see if God reveals a conversation, relationship, or situation that may have triggered it. I would record everything and prayerfully revisit this inventory on a regular basis.

I might have an extended time of solitude so I can discuss with Jesus why my discontentment seems so out of control in certain situations and what triggers it. Maybe it’s time I need to finally confess my fear that God cannot or will not provide for me in times of great need. Perhaps I’m afraid that I will slip through God’s fingers, or he doesn’t notice me and my plight, or he just doesn’t care. Perhaps I’m not willing to trust him to provide what I need and believe I must take matters into my own hands to acquire what I want to feel alive or worthy. Perhaps this is an issue of how I want to look in front of people or what makes me feel secure or desirable. Or perhaps I just can’t stand the thought of someone else, in this case God, determining for me what is good and what I actually need. These issues take some time to emerge from all the spiraling thoughts and feelings in our minds.

I would continue to practice an unhurried life as discussed in the last post. Many of our issues, like discontentment, are forged through hurriedness and the accompanying stress and anxiety. We then do things to mask our discomfort, creating habits that reinforce our discontentment. So I would keep asking Jesus how to live an unhurried life. I might try practices like always driving in the slow lane, taking slow walks, or choosing the longest line at the store.

I would eliminate those things that feed my discontentment. For example, I would unsubscribe from email and magazine subscriptions that fuel my discontentment. Likewise, I would limit my exposure to social media, which is designed to foster discontentment through thoughts and images. I would stop watching YouTube videos or shows that make me think I need something else to be content. I would also replace what I eliminate with new content that fosters contentment, peace, joy, and generosity.

I would try fasting a meal or two a week. The goal of fasting is to feast on God and his kingdom. So, when I fast, each time I feel a hunger pang, I would thank God for his provisions and pray for someone in my life.

I would ask Jesus how I could serve and give to others. And when I was able to serve or give, I would thank God and rejoice for the opportunity. On a similar note, I would decide beforehand that if I am asked to serve or give to someone, I would agree to do it without thinking about it or calculating the cost. I would decide beforehand to immediately serve and give generously and joyfully. As Paul says in 2Corinthians 9:7, “God loves a cheerful giver.” In Acts 20:35, Paul quotes Jesus, saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” I would intend to trust Jesus that this is actually real and true and practice it as such.

Confession is also a good spiritual practice, if done in appropriate relational contexts. I am a part of men’s group that has intentionally fostered an environment that welcomes vulnerable sharing of our struggles. So I would confess situations of discontentment that I found particularly troublesome or sinful.

I might incorporate regular times of worship and thanksgiving. These don’t have to be lengthy times. Perhaps I would listen to a favorite worship song or hymn on YouTube or Spotify. Or maybe it’s training myself to thank God the moment I wake up every morning, before I even put my feet on the ground. Or perhaps training myself not to leave the house until I’m happy. Or I might go and spend time doing something that brings me joy, since contentment is rooted in joy.

I might spend time during the day reflectively praying Psalm 23 or the Lord’s Prayer in my own words. This could be done while driving, pausing during your breaks at work, or a few minutes before bed.

So those are some spiritual practices that I might talk with Jesus about incorporating into the routine of my life that would target discontentment. That’s how I would offer my body as a living sacrifice to God.

Next are some ways I might try to renew my mind under Jesus’ guidance.

I might make a list of all the benefits of following Jesus into the natural always-present contentment that Paul describes in Philippians 4:11-13. This list may include:

• I’m completely safe in him
• I lack nothing in him
• Who I am becoming eternally in Jesus far outweighs anything I desire
• I experience greater love, joy, and peace
• I naturally give and can be a source of blessing to others
• I am completely free of wanting anything
• I experience a peaceful satisfaction regardless of the situation
• Fear and anxiety are gone
• I am free from manipulating people and outcomes to get what I want 

Dallas Willard says it’s sometimes valuable to consider the “cost of non-discipleship.” I might create a list of the consequences of ongoing discontentment that might include:

• I’m not sure I’m safe in him if I’m pursing my own wants and desires
• I feel like I lack what I need or want
• My eternal identity is being formed by what I desire
• I’m hesitant to give and bless others
• Situations trigger a burning desire to get what I want
• I’m worried and obsessed about not having what I want
• I’m can’t get free of the fear and anxiety
• I’m preoccupied with how to control people and situations to get what I want

The point of these lists is to fill our minds with the vision of how our lives can eternally flourish under Jesus’ leadership. Here’s a quote from Dallas Willard about a vision of freedom we can obtain through Jesus in God’s kingdom:

“Can we envision being freed to the point where not a single thing on earth, above the earth, or below the earth could cause dread to creep into our hearts?”

The Divine Conspiracy Continued

I might also target the renewing of my mind with Scripture. I would read, reflect upon, and even memorize some Scriptures that remind me of God’s faithful and abundant provision, especially that focus on contentment. I would place these Scriptures in places where I could naturally read and reflect upon them such as taped to the bathroom mirror or an open tab on my web browser. Such Scriptures might include Psalm 23, Matthew 6:33, 1Timothy 6:6-11; Philippians 4:11-13; and Hebrews 13:5

I might also renew my mind through content that focuses on apprenticeship to Jesus, such as The Dallas Willard Podcast, Becoming New with John Ortberg, Practicing the Way, or Being Human with Steve Cuss. Listening to and reading ideas by both contemporary and historic apprentices is beneficial for training our minds how to think and feel.

I might also spend regular time meditating on my well-being in God. I would reflect on how the one who easily created this universe and has full knowledge and control over every aspect of this universe has promised that we are completely safe in him regardless of any trial, struggle, or loss. I would think about how this world is a perfectly safe place to be, how God’s love and goodness will always prevail, and how every tragedy, suffering and loss is redeemable by God.

I might also reflect on what living and reigning with Jesus in God’s universe will be like in 1,000 years or 10,000 years or 10,000,000 years. That’s what awaits Jesus’ apprentices! This puts my tiny wants and desires into perspective.

I know all of this sounds like a lot of effort. Again, all of these are ideas. It’s Jesus who needs to lead each of you into his lifestyle and practices for your specific life. He will show you how to gently offer your body through spiritual disciplines and how to renew your mind. It’s not about how many of these spiritual disciplines you do or how rigorously you practice them. It’s God who transforms you, not the spiritual disciplines. But the spiritual disciplines Jesus guides you to practice are essential. The point is to follow Jesus and let him guide you into the proper practices so you can interact with God’s kingdom. While God does the lion’s share of the work, your cooperative effort is necessary in following Jesus into spiritual formation. And the rewards of a transformed life are indescribably thrilling and fulfilling! Because you are becoming the kind of person God always intended you to be!