Tag: A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline

‘As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.’ 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12(NLT)

‘So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:11(NLT)

A friend compared returning from a business trip to a space vessel re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and landing or splashing down.  High velocity, speed, heat, and two worlds intersecting make atmospheric re-entry one of the most dangerous segments of the mission.  The vessel must hit at the perfect angle and speed and ultimately slow down to land. 

When a Road Warrior returns, two worlds intersect.  The traveler is in solo mode and slowing down.  The person at home has been in a more normal routine, although oftentimes managing a household alone.  It’s usually day’s end, and a growling stomach with the element of stress make perfect ingredients for a collision.

It’s difficult to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, but this is a critical moment for you and your loved ones to try.  The process of reintegration requires selflessness, empathy, patience, and good communication to engineer a full return to the role God intended for you within the family unit. 

In order to do this effectively, try to set work on the back burner and connect with God in prayer on your way home.  Walk through the door with your spiritual focus front of mind and ready to give of yourself. Give your family your full attention.  Upload and download once you have had time to settle.  Discuss how your spiritual focus on the trip played out and how God answered your day 1 prayers.  Share the challenges you faced as well. Invite one another into each other’s lives.  

The objective of intentional reentry is to sensitively reconnect and reintegrate.  Keeping your worlds connected before and during your journey will make this final step less onerous.  This along with the other 4 disciplines in this Bible Plan series lay a solid foundation to undergird Road Warriors to face the challenges the road presents with strong spiritual footing, and ultimately, to return stronger.

from A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline

‘As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.’ 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12(NLT)

‘So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:11(NLT)

A good friend visited one summer and shared details of what had become a failed marriage.  Her husband frequented Asia for work and had become deeply entrenched in a pattern of infidelity. Now she and her children faced life without a husband and father. 

It’s dangerously easy for Road Warriors to grow comfortable with distance from their family and community by falling into the habit of only loosely communicating while away.  The unfortunate result can be emotional distance and separate lives where each simply does their own thing. 

God gifted us with family and community and established unique roles for us in each other’s lives.  He does not want us to become disconnected. When the apostles traveled, they constantly tied in to community or family.  It was nearly impossible to live a separate life. A common denominator among travelers who have experienced relational adversity is that one or both parties slid into a separate life.  In doing so, they not only became distant from each other, but also from God’s plan for their lives. 

As with devotion and prayer, communication and connection with home are critical. Contact needs to be much more than simply checking a box during a hectic week. Married Road Warriors, especially, who travel solo need a purposeful communication plan that establishes presence at home even while away.  Good, healthy community on the road can also help fill the void, especially for the single traveler.  We’ll deep dive that subject in a separate Bible Plan. 

For married travelers, we recommend setting aside regular dates and times to connect with home in advance, intentionally slowing down before connecting and using live communication apps like FaceTime or Skype.  Set aside a few minutes to connect with God before you connect with your family.  Pray and get in the right state of mind and heart. Get out of the work mode to foster a true connection. 

Connect, listen deeply, share your day and your thoughts, and seek to understand what is happening in each other’s lives.  Persist! You’ll find yourself better tuned in, more connected, and more closely aligned with God’s plan for your relationship with your family and loved ones.

from A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline

‘Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord , meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.’ Psalms 1:1-3(NLT)

‘For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ‘ Hebrews 4:12(NLT)

‘But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.’ Psalms 55:16-17(NLT)

Road Warriors have a different rhythm while away.  They eat, work, exercise, and sleep in different places.  Travel removes them from their home routine and elevates their pace in a changed environment.  Maintaining the critical disciplines of devotion and prayer against this backdrop is difficult. 

Still, travelers ultimately build routine into their time away. It’s essential to ensure devotion and prayer remain an integral part of that routine in pursuit of closeness with God.  That time-slot and favorite chair in the family room or on the back porch must be replaced by something else.  Creating specific times and places in your calendar for devotion and prayer on the road is essential. 

Some of David’s best-known Psalms were likely written while he was alone in exile, fleeing from King Saul.  He kept the prayer discipline alive, and he stayed near to God. Jesus Himself set aside time for rest and communication with the Father as He traveled and ministered.  Establishing discipline around prayer and devotion while away is fundamental to staying on track spiritually and requires thoughtful planning and time management. 

While unpacking, pick a devotional spot like that solo chair near the window in your hotel and make it comfortable.  It could even be a cozy space in the hotel common areas, or a park bench nearby.  Also, consider picking out a Bible Plan in advance that is consistent with your spiritual focus for the trip, and set an alarm for additional prayer during the day.  These disciplines will help you stay attuned to God throughout your time away. 

Maintaining prayer and devotional time amidst busy travel requires planning, but it is well worth the effort.  By setting your heart and mind on God in this way, you will more easily maintain your spiritual focus, invite God along as you push through your day, help fill the void of community, and ultimately return stronger.

from A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline

‘Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.’ Colossians 3:1-4(NLT)

‘But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ‘ Galatians 5:22-25(NLT)

‘Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ‘ 1 Peter 4:8-10(NLT)

I found myself in a deep conversation with a homeless woman after a busy day of travel and meetings.  I wanted to get back to my hotel, but my encounter required I apply the brakes and place God front and center.  For that thirty-minute conversation and a while afterward, I experienced the joy of having shifted my focus from my tightly wound world to something much bigger and God-centered. 

I exercised patience and compassion I didn’t realize I had after a busy day, and I suddenly felt more closely in step with God.  I also realized I wanted to do this more often.  It dawned on me that establishing some kind of spiritual focus for each of my trips might not only bring spiritual purpose to my travel, but also multiply opportunities to minister – while drawing me closer to God as I purposefully set my heart and mind on Him. 

My first conscious attempt to do this was choosing to serve those who typically served me along the path on a trip.  Road Warriors are constantly served while away.  By turning the tables and becoming the servant, I ended up in conversations I would never have had, and it helped me establish a God-centered mindset.  I wasn’t without failure and found myself hitting reset, but with prayer and focus, my time away became an opportunity to grow and reflect God.

Try starting your trip with a spiritual focus.  For example, establish one of the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5 (patience, kindness, gentleness) as a goal, and include it in your day-1 prayer.  And pick a Bible Plan for the trip that is consistent with your focus like EA McQuitty’s Toolbox Plan in this Road Warrior’s Series.  You’ll not only draw closer to God while away by setting your heart and mind on Him, but you’ll impact lives for Him while away.  Then download about it upon your return with your prayer partner.

from A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline

‘“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”’ Matthew 18:19-20(NLT)

‘Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.’ Ephesians 6:18-20(NLT)

‘Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. ‘ Mark 1:35(NLT)

I drove to the airport a little too close to departure and rushed to my flight. The next 2.5 days consisted of wall to wall meetings and constant activity in-between.  I squeezed too much into a short time-slot to minimize time away. Upon returning it occurred to me how intently I had focused on my work, and not so much on God.  He felt distant.  I sensed I had veered somewhat off course spiritually. 

Solo travel presents unique challenges. What awaits Road Warriors is a hectic pace and a void of the family and community that keep us grounded at home. Facing this without solid spiritual footing leaves travelers feeling isolated and vulnerable. 

The Bible provides a proven roadmap to face these unique challenges and emerge victorious.  The first stop on that map is the powerful discipline of purposeful prayer that sets our hearts and minds on Christ. Purposeful prayer invites God along for the journey, keeps us attuned to Him, and reduces our likelihood of veering off course. 

Throughout the Bible, we experience stories of character after character turning to God in prayer regardless of their circumstances. And we witness Him faithfully lavishing provision, protection, and direction upon his loved Creation.  

God will do the same for you. Before you travel, one of the most effective disciplines you can employ to stay on track is to pray for your journey.  If you can, find a confidant you establish as your “go to” prayer partner and invite this person to read this plan as you do.  If married, your spouse would be a great choice. 

Pray for the challenges you anticipate, for the discipline to keep God your focus, for an awareness of His presence, for spiritual growth, for protection, and whatever God puts on your heart. Praying strengthens your spiritual footing, fosters closeness with God on your journey, raises your awareness of His presence, and ultimately leads to victory.

from A Road Warrior’s Guide To Spiritual Discipline