Spiritual disciplines and practices

Christians over the years have learned that certain disciplines and practices help them keep the spiritual channels open and help keep the heart turned toward God. These disciplines can't save you; they can't even make you a holy person. But they can heighten your desire, awareness, and love of God by stripping down the barriers that you put up within yourself and some that others put up for you. What makes something a 'spiritual discipline' is that it takes a specific part of your way of life and turns it toward God. A spiritual discipline is, when practiced faithfully and regularly, a habit or regular pattern in your life that repeatedly brings you back to God and opens you up to what God is saying to you. Christian devotional practice is squarely centered on Jesus Christ as found in the New Testament. When Christ is not at the heart of it, it may still be beneficial in some way, but it is not being practiced in a Christian way. In the end, if it does not help you follow Christ, it is of no real worth.