Rhythms, not rules

EDITED TO ADD: I've just had a thought, that the OMS and Following the Way (by John Mark Comer) suggests having a rule of life. Which I agree with. I'm now wondering if the word 'rules' haven't quite been used in the correct context of this article. But sometimes words are used for different things in different contexts....? In any case, I'm just thinking that I have to be more careful with my choice of words 🤔

Today, my morning didn't go according to plan.

I usually start my day at 4.45 am and have some quiet me time. It has become one of the rhythms that anchors my day.

But there are mornings like today, where my body just refuses to get up at 4.45 am. I had a really full week and was tired. My body needed the extra sleep, so instead of pushing through, I decided to honour myself and sleep in till 7 am.

Years ago, that decision probably would have been accompanied by guilt. I'd have felt like I'd somehow failed. My perfect streak had been broken. I'd have rushed through my morning trying to make up for lost time, because somewhere along the way the rhythm would have quietly become a rule.

But that's not what rhythms are about. People sometimes assume they're about doing the same thing at the same time every day. While consistency certainly matters, that's not actually the goal.

There's a difference between legalism and discipline.

Legalism says, "I must do this at 4:45."

Discipline says, "I will have my quiet time after I wake up."

Legalism convinces us we've failed because we didn't follow the process perfectly.

Discipline helps us become the kind of people we want to be.

One produces shame.

The other produces freedom.

The irony is that even something as beautiful as spending time with God can slowly become another box to tick if I'm not careful. Instead of receiving His invitation, I begin trying to earn His approval, as though He's more impressed by my alarm clock than by my heart. But that's not the God we serve.

Jesus repeatedly challenged people who had perfected the rules while missing the relationship. He reminded them that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." The rhythms God gives us are gifts. They're designed to help us flourish, not to become burdens that crush us.

That's the heart behind SIDCHAs - which is why I love them. They bring about freedom and help me create the person I am being and becoming.

They're not about proving how disciplined I am. They're about intentionally practising healthy patterns until they become part of who I am. And healthy patterns have enough flexibility to survive real life.

Because real life is messy. Sometimes I've had a late night. Sometimes I'm unwell. Sometimes my body simply needs more sleep.

Grace doesn't remove rhythms. Grace allows rhythms to breathe.

So today, my quiet time didn't begin at until 7 am.

And that's okay.