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Life Hacking the Spiritual Disciplines
May 28, 2015
Life Hacking, according to Wikipedia, “refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life” and I believe that is a pretty good way of explaining it. Over the next few weeks I will be talking about the spiritual disciplines and how we can go about “Life Hacking” them. When referring to the spiritual disciplines, I will be specifically talking about prayer, public worship, fasting, and the Scriptures.
Now, considering I am a part of a tradition that puts a stress on the word discipline, some people may take exception at the idea of Life Hacking these disciplines. For at least the last 40+ years I have seen many “novel” and “tricky” ways to approach prayer and the other spiritual disciplines and the majority of them come across as what I refer to as cotton candy spirituality. Cotton candy spirituality tastes really sweet and is fun to look at but, if you eat too much of it, your teeth begin to rot out and you will get sick.
This is not what I am advocating! In looking at Life Hacking, one of the things I’ve noticed in the majority of videos and articles I have read is that there is a certain amount of things one already needs to have on hand. Most life hackers take things from there surrounding lives and repurpose them and this takes skill, time, and determination.
In this series, this is what I hope to do. It is my desire to help others look at the things surrounding them, things already present in their own lives, and guide them into better, more relevant ways to practice these spiritual disciplines. Like most of my sermons, I have to admit I am a work in progress. As I look into these “Life Hacks”, I will be journeying along with everyone else and trying find ways to improve my own spiritual life.
And, one final note. I am asked quite a bit whether or not these messages will be recorded. Unfortunately, I currently do not have the staff to make sure this happens so the best way you could journey with us in these Life Hacks is to come to Trenton First United Methodist Church in Trenton, TN. Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to post sermons such as this online.
God’s Best,
Derek
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