“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”

Lamentations 3:25

Here’s a challenge I think most of us face as we attempt to grow in our understanding of how to describe a deeper, rooted life in Christ – how to avoid a sense of legalism in spiritual disciplines. Some have said that we believe that we are saved by grace in the beginning, but we continue to grow through our own works. So, if we perform well enough, if we read our Bible daily, if we dedicate ourselves to a specific quiet time if we do….

Clearly, the study of Scripture is essential to our growth and there is no substitute for prayer, but have we made the concept of spiritual growth and made it into a treadmill where we huff and puff our way to a deeper relationship with God?

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day did just that. They lived by rules they didn’t practice themselves. “They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23: 4).

On the contrary, Jesus invites us to simply come to Him. He calls us to “take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”(Matthew 11:29).

The passage above from Lamentations promises that if we seek Him, God is good to those who wait. So instead of thinking of a regimented schedule of study, how about considering just seeking God because you want to, not that you have to?