From Discipline to Devotion: The Journey of Spiritual Growth

“Discipline says, ‘I need to.’ Duty says, ‘I ought to.’ Devotion says, ‘I want to.’”

Have you ever noticed how your relationship with God evolves over time? Perhaps you’ve experienced seasons where prayer and Bible reading felt like obligations to check off your spiritual to-do list. Or maybe you’ve known the joy of eagerly anticipating time with God, where what once felt like duty transformed into delight. This journey—from discipline to duty to devotion—reflects the natural progression of spiritual growth that many believers experience.

The Foundation of Discipline: “I need to”

Discipline forms the foundation of our spiritual journey. It’s recognizing that certain practices are necessary for our spiritual health and growth, even when we don’t feel like doing them.

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8)

Just as athletes discipline their bodies through consistent training, we discipline our spirits through regular prayer, Scripture reading, and worship. These practices aren’t always easy or convenient, but they’re necessary. When we first begin these spiritual disciplines, we often approach them from a place of “I need to do this”—recognizing their importance even when our feelings haven’t caught up.

In Proverbs 25:28, we read: “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” Spiritual discipline protects our souls, establishing boundaries that guard our relationship with God. Without this foundation of discipline, we remain vulnerable to the shifting winds of emotion and circumstance.

The Development of Duty: “I ought to”

As we continue in discipline, something begins to shift. What started as “I need to” gradually transforms into “I ought to.” This is duty—the sense of moral obligation that comes from understanding God’s goodness and what He deserves from us.

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

Duty recognizes that our response to God’s love should be wholehearted commitment. It’s not just about what benefits us, but about what honors Him. When we pray, read Scripture, or serve others from a sense of duty, we acknowledge that God is worthy of our obedience regardless of our feelings.

The apostle Paul captures this sense of duty in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

Duty moves us beyond self-interest to God-interest. It’s a maturing perspective recognizing our obligations to the One who gave everything for us.

The Delight of Devotion: “I want to”

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The beautiful culmination of this spiritual journey is when discipline and duty blossom into devotion—when “I need to” and “I ought to” transform into “I want to.” Devotion is the heart’s genuine desire for God, where spiritual practices become joyful privileges rather than burdensome obligations.

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

David’s words capture the essence of devotion—an earnest longing for God that springs from the depths of the soul. When we reach this place in our spiritual journey, we no longer read Scripture merely because we should but because we hunger for God’s words. We don’t pray out of obligation but out of desire for communion with our Creator.

Jesus highlighted this heart of devotion when He said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15, NLT). True devotion naturally expresses itself in obedience—not reluctant compliance, but loving response.

The Integrated Journey

These three aspects—discipline, duty, and devotion—aren’t entirely separate stages but overlapping dimensions of our spiritual growth. Even the most devoted believer will have days when discipline is necessary. Even in our most disciplined moments, glimpses of devotion can break through.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Notice how the Spirit's fruit includes self-control (discipline) and love (devotion). God’s work in us encompasses all these dimensions, gradually transforming our hearts so that what begins as discipline increasingly becomes devotion.

Reflective Questions

1. In your current season, which statement most reflects your approach to spiritual practices: “I need to,” “I ought to,” or “I want to”? What might this reveal about your spiritual journey?

2. Can you identify a spiritual discipline that once felt like an obligation but has now become a delight? What changed to bring about this transformation?

3. How might understanding the progression from discipline to devotion change how you approach spiritual practices that currently feel difficult or dry?

4. In what ways does God’s grace operate in each of these three dimensions—discipline, duty, and devotion?

5. What spiritual practice might God invite you to embrace with renewed discipline today, trusting that it may eventually lead to deeper devotion?

   
   

A Prayer for the Journey

Lord, thank You for meeting us wherever we are on this journey. When we come to You out of discipline, strengthen our resolve. When we approach You from duty, remind us of Your worthiness. And as we grow in devotion, deepen our delight in You. Transform our “need to” and “ought to” into “want to,” not by removing discipline and duty, but by infusing them with love. Help us to see that even our discipline and duty are expressions of Your grace at work in our lives.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all as you continue to grow in faith and obedience to His call.

~ Bruce Mitchell.