The sermon has ended. The blessing is given. The worship team is exiting the stage.
As you shuffle out of the auditorium, you’re filled with clarity, conviction, and calm. For a moment, things make sense. You’re believing again. You’re breathing deeper. You’re remembering who you are. Your Sunday spiritual high has arrived, and you’re thinking: this time, it’ll stick.
But then… Monday. When you’re met with the morning’s demands, all that’s left of Sunday’s spiritual feast is a nostalgic aftertaste. Deadlines hit. Kids melt down. Your phone won’t stop buzzing. And that Sunday version of you? Nowhere to be found.
Enter: the Not Just Sunday Newsletter.
This newsletter is your Monday morning recharge—a chance to take a deep breath, refocus your heart, and carry Sunday’s calm into Monday’s chaos. Each week, you’ll find both encouragement and practical help to experience the beautiful life Jesus offers every day, not just Sunday.
Right now on Not Just Sunday, we’re in a series called It’s Never Too Late to Become a Saint, exploring what it means to grow in spiritual maturity. Here’s a quick taste of what you might encounter in a Monday morning email:
Think of it This Way...🖼️
When you picture a saint, you probably imagine someone rooted in spiritual disciplines—praying, reading, fasting. So, if you want to become a saint, it makes sense that these practices would be part of the journey.
But why? What’s the point of spiritual disciplines?
Think of it this way: spiritual disciplines are like windshields.
You need a windshield to drive, not just to block wind and debris, but to see the road ahead. In the same way, spiritual disciplines are how we see and connect with God. They aren’t just routines. They’re how he’s told us we’ll find him. Through prayer, Scripture, rest, silence, and more, we clear the noise and focus on the one who strengthens us.
But here’s the catch: the windshield isn’t the point. You don’t drive a car by staring at the windshield. You drive by looking through it.
Imagine someone gripping the wheel, eyes locked on the glass, barely noticing the road. That would be absurd—and dangerous! And that’s precisely what happens when we treat a spiritual discipline as the end instead of a means to see Jesus more clearly. It’s dangerous for our souls.
Prayer isn’t the destination; it’s a way to connect with God. Bible reading isn’t a checklist; it’s how we hear his voice. Fasting, silence, and solitude aren’t about performing; they’re about depending on Christ.
Spiritual disciplines aren’t about focusing on the glass. They’re about helping you fix your eyes on Jesus. And that’s what saints learn to do.
Try This At Home 🛠️
One way I’ve been trying to ensure my spiritual disciplines are a means, not an end, is in my Bible reading.
Every morning, before I read my Bible, I write this down in a journal:
"I cannot control whether the Holy Spirit shows up right now. I cannot control whether I feel goosebumps or a sense of his presence. I cannot control whether I feel encouraged."
That might sound strange, but it’s freeing. I often try to control those things. And if I don’t feel something, I start second-guessing myself—Am I reading the right passage? Am I reading enough? Is God disappointed?
But God never promised me goosebumps. He promised to be faithful to his word. That’s his job. And he can do that whether I feel it or not. But what’s my job?
Well, after I acknowledge what I can’t control, I write down what I can:
"I can control that I’m here now and present with God. I can control that I slow down and listen closely to his word. I can control that I pray as I read. I can control my obedience to his commands."
This has brought me so much clarity and relief. It’s taken the weight off my shoulders that I often feel when I open my Bible—the weight of thinking I need to be the Holy Spirit and manufacture my spiritual growth.
This simple act has helped shift my focus from the act of reading itself to the God I’m reading to encounter. Because when I draw that line—when I let the Spirit be the Spirit—I can finally rest. I can depend on him to work in me, in his timing and his way, instead of exhausting myself.
Put simply: when I stop trying to be the Holy Spirit, I can finally be with him. And that’s so much better.
Monday Motivation 🗣️
Before you go, here’s an important truth to carry into today: God is not surprised by where you are spiritually.
If you’re like me, it’s easy to imagine God standing off to the side, arms crossed, scolding your spiritual stuckness. But that’s not who he is. God is not disappointed in you. He’s not frustrated that you haven’t changed as much as you’d hoped by now. And he’s not pacing the heavens, wondering when you’ll finally get it together.
No—God is not disappointed by where you’re at spiritually; he’s in control of it. Yes, God is the one who is growing your faith:
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
(1 Corinthians 3:6)
So, as you head into this Monday, take God at his word:
“I began a good work in you and will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1:6)
You are not behind or forgotten. You are loved. And because of that, God is not finished with you.
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