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A Primary Reason Some Young Adults Are Faithful in Their Spiritual Disciplines

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For more than 30 years now, I’ve been teaching seminary students. Do you want to guess one common characteristic I see among young seminarians who are most seriously faithful in their spiritual disciplines? 

It’s not that they have a call on their lives, though that matters.

It’s not that they’re studying the scriptures for seminary, though that’s helpful in their disciplines.

It’s not that they grew up going to a church where the Bible was proclaimed and prayer was promoted, though that’s a gift from the Lord.

It’s not that they all have had a mentor, though those with a mentor tend to be more faithful in their disciplines.

It’s not that they’ve all had some moment of brokenness that drove them to the Word, though some have had such an experience.

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No, here’s what I’ve learned: those who are most seriously faithful in their spiritual disciplines grew up in a home where their parents openly modeled their own commitment to these tasks.

From these faithful students, I’ve heard stories about:

You see, these parents may have had a “prayer closet” and private den to which to go to meet with God, but that’s not where they went. Instead, their open approach to their disciplines let their kids see that meeting with God is an everyday event – it’s a lifestyle rather than a ritual. 

Parents, do your kids see you reading the Bible other than Sunday? Do they hear you pray at times other than when there’s food on the table? From what I can tell, it makes a difference when your kids see and hear your faith lived out.


This article originally appeared [3] at ChuckLawless.com