Trying to do something is very different from training to do something. Trying hard can be important but is a wholly different activity from training. Training is a valuable concept in sports, playing a musical instrument, speaking a new language, typing, and many of life’s efforts. The difference between trying and training would quickly become quite evident were I to try to run a marathon today compared to begin training today and run a marathon in 6 months. The Christian life is likened to an athletic competition in God’s word as in I Corinthians and Hebrews. We compete not for prizes here on earth but eternal purposes. Training is a biblical concept closely aligned to discipline and discipleship. Training transforms whether the focus is on the body, the mind or the spirit. Where life matters — one often needs to train and practice.

Spiritual disciplines are not a gauge of one’s spiritual maturity. The spiritual person is not one who practices many disciplines. The disciplined person is someone who does well what needs to be done when it needs to be done. There are common misconceptions of discipline in today’s culture.

• Disciplines are not ways of earning spiritual brownie points.
• Disciplines are not necessarily unpleasant.
• Spiritual methods are not about method, they are certainly not a “quick fix.”

If one wants to be like Jesus then one can train or he can “just” try. It is the same with other teachers like Moses, Ruth, David, Peter, or any number of champions of virtue whom God uses to provide instruction for us along the pilgrim’s path. Training can certainly enhance outcomes, but it necessarily transforms the trainee. A marathon runner who doesn’t train will not run a good race even if he tries really hard on the day of the race. A pianist who isn’t well practiced isn’t good even if he tries really really hard when he gets on stage. If I want to run a marathon (or a 5k!) today, trying probably wouldn’t be enough. It would be far preferable to first train. Training would increase the probability I would actually make it 26.2 miles, and also increase my chances of surviving the effort. If I want to climb to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite next summer, I best train months in advance of the attempt.

Effective training carries with it purpose. What counts as a discipline depends on the task for which one is training. Training can provide many benefits to a person in many different areas. Training strengthens one in various areas of body, mind and spirit. However, training for a marathon does relatively little to prepare a skier for a downhill slalom race.

• If one wants to train for a marathon, one should run a lot every week.
• If one wants to train for a skiing event, one should practice on skis.
• If one is entered in a math contest, one best practice computation.
• If one are enters a hot dog eating contest one trains by eating lots of hot dogs.
• If one is preparing for eternity, love and joy in the kingdom one best trains by practicing spiritual disciplines.

A discipline is an activity one practices to develop and achieve power and strength. Discipline is fundamental to a successful training program that transforms the body, mind, soul or spirit. Scripture provides much instruction on walking the Christian walk, including the role of discipline and training.

“But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;” (1 Timothy 4:7, NASB95)
““A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40, NASB95)

Disciplines often work in a way which disrupt normal habits of thinking and life. This works to allow consideration of other ways of thought and action. How many trials come our way that serve to train us in righteousness? Might we enjoy benefit from transformation in advance through spiritual disciplines rather than waiting for trials and tribulation to build us up in different areas of our lives? Tests and trials will undoubtedly still cross the pilgrim’s path. However, isn’t it better to pass through a testing period prepared and practiced? Trying to accomplish something in the moment is a valuable skill but it is not a replacement for preparation which results from purposed discipline. For example, will alone is not good — terrible in fact — at overcoming bad habits. One’s will does not easily change itself. Effort in the moment, no matter how focused, will not provide the same result as effort with training and preparation. Training generally involves repetition and is executed over a period of time and fundamentally requires suspending and submitting one’s will. This process modifies behavior, and hence will, but as a by-product to transformation in one’s body, mind, soul or spirit.

The importance of will is ubiquitously overemphasized in today’s culture. Society often supplies rewards based on how hard one tries. That is not to say that only outcome is important, in fact, it is just the opposite. Training and preparation produce benefits far more important than a single outcome. The pianist who practices to play a concerto not only produces a wonderful performance, but steps towards becoming a wonderful musician. The progress required to move one from amateur to proficient athlete comes from training and discipline, not from effort during a single event. It is the same with spiritual matters. Do I want to be like Jesus? To think like Christ? To have the mind of Christ? Then as Jesus tell us in Luke 6, I first must train.

Thirty Spiritual Disciplines

Disciplines of Abstinence (Dallas Willard)
Fasting
Silence
Solitude
Frugality
Chastity
Secrecy
Sacrifice
Disciplines of Engagement (Dallas Willard)
Study
Worship
Celebration
Service
Prayer
Fellowship
Confession
Submission
Other Disciplines
Rote Prayer
Sabbath Keeping
Meditation
Submission to a spiritual coach
Personal Reflection
Evangelism
Stewardship
Journaling
Learning
Memorization
Retreats
Pilgrimages
Acts of Kindness
Education (language, or other)
Simple Living

This is not an exhaustive list, there are many methods of spiritual training not listed above. The list also contains many disciplines which overlap. For example, the practice of solitude may include much meditation. External outcome is not the ultimate goal for one in spiritual training. The goal of such training is transformation. The benefits of training are not deferred until the day of contest. In fact, the most dramatic transformations within ourselves are often most pronounced at the beginning stages of a training discipline.

Key components of training are time, knowledge, effort, feedback, rest and repetition. Generally it is important to practice doing a task right repeatedly so that correct technique becomes normative, reflexive and second nature. Only then can transformation be said to be complete. Often the trainee will benefit from the aid of a trainer, mentor, coach, or training partner(s) who can offer suggestions and course corrections during the training process.

The goal of spiritual discipline is not winning some sort of spiritual contest. The goal of discipline is the building up of the pilgrim, of becoming, not of performance. For the Christian the goal is becoming more like Jesus Christ — the ultimate teacher.