Slow Steps Toward a Stronger Faith

Training to Rest

By Alyson Pryor

After giving His lengthiest recorded sermon, Jesus closes with “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt. 7:24). Jesus clarified that those who want to build a solid and worthy life must not merely listen to His teachings, but put them into practice. Those who have tried find this an incredible endeavor. Love your enemies? Pray for those who persecute you? Forgive, then forgive again? It seems impossible to build a life that will hold up when we cannot even bridge the gap between our own fallen natures and the words and commands of Jesus.

In my work as a spiritual director, I see many who have tried to build their lives on the rock. People come into my office nearly every day telling me how they have tried to wake up early and read the Bible, develop a discipline of prayer, or commit to a practice of worship or tithing. Many of us are tired of the spiritual disciplines being one more thing on our plate to manage, one more piece of the pie chart of our time. We are, as a whole, exhausted and overwhelmed by our attempts to build a life worth living. We have tried, and often, we have failed.