Experience the Gift of a Disciplined Spiritual Life “Give your gift in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:4
Have you ever started a spiritual practice with excitement, only to lose steam a few weeks later? You wake up intending to pray, but the day gets loud. You plan to fast, but hunger (or habit) wins. You want to give generously, but something holds you back.
If that sounds familiar, take heart. You are not alone. Most of us wrestle with consistency in giving, prayer, and fasting. These practices are deeply meaningful, but building them into everyday life is rarely easy.
The good news? Scripture doesn’t call us to perfection. It calls us to faithfulness—especially the quiet, unseen kind. And in that hidden place, Jesus promises something remarkable: a reward from your Father who sees everything.
Let’s explore how you can stop striving and start experiencing the gift of a disciplined spiritual life.
1. Rethinking Giving: More Than Just Money
When we hear “giving,” many of us think immediately of tithing—and that is good and biblical. But giving in Matthew 6 is broader. Jesus talks about charitable acts done in secret. That means giving can take many forms:
Your money, yes.
But also your time.
Your attention.
Your presence.
Sitting with someone who is lonely. Caring for a hurting neighbor. Supporting a cause close to your heart that no one else knows about. These quiet, personal acts become powerful expressions of love precisely because they are not performed for applause.
A gentle warning: Giving often asks something of us. Sometimes it feels like we are giving away a small piece of ourselves. That discomfort is not a sign you are doing something wrong. It may be a sign you are doing something real.
Practical step this week: Before you give anything publicly, try giving one thing privately. No social media post. No telling a friend. Just you, the act, and God.
2. Prayer and Fasting: Quieting the Noise
Prayer and fasting have a unique way of drawing us closer to God—not because God needs our rituals, but because we need to quiet the noise. Fasting, in particular, is often the neglected sibling of spiritual disciplines. Many Christians pray regularly. Far fewer fast with any consistency.
Why? Because fasting is uncomfortable. It exposes our dependence on food, comfort, and routine. But that exposure is precisely the point. When you choose hunger, you create space for holy hunger—a deeper longing for God Himself.
You do not need to fast for a week to start. Try this instead:
Skip one meal this week. Replace it with prayer.
When you feel hungry, let that sensation remind you to pray for someone specific.
End your fast with thanksgiving, not guilt.
Scripture encourages us to practice these disciplines privately. Jesus assumes you will pray, give, and fast—but He warns against doing them to be seen. That means your messy, distracted, five-minute prayer in the car counts. Your half-day fast that no one notices counts. Your small, secret gift counts.
And in that quiet faithfulness, something deeply rewarding begins to grow.
3. What Does Your Checkbook Really Reveal?
There is an old saying: “You can know someone’s heart by looking at their checkbook.” In today’s world, that means your online bank statement, your Venmo history, or your subscription list.
Take an honest, gentle look. Not to shame yourself—but to see.
Where does your money actually go?
Do your spending habits reflect your stated values?
If someone looked at your transactions, would they see generosity, or mostly comfort?
If you feel uncomfortable looking, that discomfort is information. It is not condemnation. Ask yourself: Is there one luxury I could reduce this month to free up something for a cause that matters to me?
Even a small shift—skipping takeout coffee twice a week to give $10 to a food bank—is a step toward treasuring what lasts.
Key insight: Jesus never said money was evil. He said the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). The question is not do you have money? but what does your money serve?
4. Swimming Upstream in a Social Media World
Matthew 6:1–18 gives us a clear call: practice spiritual disciplines to honor the Lord, not to draw attention to yourself.
But let’s be honest—we live in a culture that runs on attention. Social media rewards the spectacular. The quiet act of obedience gets no likes. No shares. No comments.
It can feel like swimming upstream.
That is why we need each other. Not to show off, but to encourage. You do not need to post your prayer time. You do need a friend who asks, “How is your soul?” You do not need to broadcast your fast. You do need a small group where you can say, “I struggled this week.”
Let’s encourage each other to do all things for the fame of the Lord—not our own. He is worthy. And when we live for His applause alone, something strange and wonderful happens: we stop worrying about what everyone else thinks.
5. When You Fail (And You Will), There is Grace
No one masters spiritual discipline overnight. You will forget to pray. You will break a fast early. You will spend money impulsively. And when that happens, the enemy will whisper, “See? You are not serious about God.”
That is a lie.
The disciplined spiritual life is not the perfect spiritual life. It is the returning life. The one where you fail, get back up, and try again—not to earn God’s love, but because you already have it.
Lamentations 3:22–23 says God’s mercies are new every morning. That means every morning is a fresh invitation to give, pray, and fast—not out of guilt, but out of gratitude.
This Week’s Spiritual Discipline Practice
Pray
Heavenly Father, my heart longs to follow Your instructions to give, pray, and fast. Forgive me for the times I forget, get distracted, or disobey. Create in me a heart that desires to follow Your commands—not perfectly, but faithfully. There I will find You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Journal
Take ten minutes to quietly examine your spiritual rhythms:
When was the last time you gave something in secret?
How is your prayer life right now? (Honest answer only.)
Has fasting been part of your walk with God—or something you keep meaning to try?
Ask the Lord to illuminate one area for growth. Just one. Do not try to fix everything at once.
Simplify One Thing
Look at your bank statement from last month. Without judgment, notice:
One expense that could be reduced.
One cause or person you could quietly give to instead.
Invest in Eternal Treasures
This week, do one spiritual act that no one will know about except God. Then rest in this truth: He sees. He rewards. He is worthy.
Need More Guidance?
If you would like to go deeper:
On praying for the poor – click here [internal link]
On helping impoverished families escape poverty – click here [internal link]
“Your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Not because He keeps score like a harsh judge. But because He delights like a loving Father who notices every small step His child takes toward home.
Go. Give. Pray. Fast. Quietly. Faithfully. And experience the gift.