A Rule of Life

Copyright 2006 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.

Some people feel the need to lead a more disciplined prayer and spiritual life than others. For those who need a discipline, a Rule of Life is helpful. A Rule of Life is whatever outward and visible spiritual action you can do on a regular basis that will draw you nearer to God. And it should be an action or actions you can promise yourself and God you will do daily.

The Latin term is regula, which does not have some of the negative connotations of the English word rule. Your own Rule regulates your life the way you want it. It should be something you yearn to do.

A Rule of Life should start out being simple and easy so you won’t become overly burdened by it or overly discouraged if you fail to keep it. A simple Rule of Life might start out with your promising to say The Lord’s Prayer every day. After a few weeks you might add a daily Bible reading. A few weeks after that you might want to add paying your tithe or being certain that you take Communion on a regular basis.

The promise you make to yourself and to God is not to bind you to a Rule. It is simply to keep you focused on your relationship with God and keep you faithful to your spiritual discipline. Through the years your Rule of Life will need to be modified by expanding or contracting. It is not important how much you do. But it is important how faithfully you do what you’ve promised.

A Rule of Life is a reminder of who you are and whose you are. Its purpose is to keep you “on track” and growing spiritually. Every day we tend to our bodies by eating, exercising, resting, etc. It only makes sense to tend also to our spirits by praying, reading scripture, taking communion, reflecting, and doing acts of love. Sometimes we get busy and forget. A Rule of Life keeps us focused. It helps keep us in His presence each and every day, moment by moment.