I want to recommend this book. In this blog, I hope to bring to fruition
some of the insights, “eureka” moments, and personal challenges I
received by reading Richard J. Foster's book, “Celebration of
Discipline.” The book is structured in a way that any believer can
read it, but it also is a book that needs digestion and should not be
read as a novel. In fact, I have found the book to be life changing
as it has greatly increased my awareness in the area of not
dedicating enough of my life to the Christian disciplines.
Throughout the book, I kept asking myself, “God so
desires a relationship with me, why am I so lax in responding to that
relationship? Where has my heart been to be content in settling for
knowing Him, worshiping Him and studying Him?” All of these are
steps in the right direction, but I have not been seeking or asking
the right question, “How can I live Him in all that I am?” In
other words, Foster has challenged me to live beyond the typical in
seeking to grasp the supernatural through working, practicing, and
capturing the essence of spiritual disciplines.
I gained new insight on the difference between
meditation and study. I have always been taught, or at least
practiced, meditation and study were accomplished as one unit. Foster
details how many times Godly fixtures of scripture go to meditation.
Jesus repeatedly retreats to a place to meditate and pray. I have
gained from several quotes throughout the book, but the two quotes on
the discipline of meditation that resonates with me are, “God spoke
to them not because they had special abilities, but because they were
willing to listen.”1
and “Christian meditation, is the ability to hear God's voice and
obey His word.”2
He then proceeds to explain this discipline while coaching the reader
to use caution. When we hear the voice of God it is always rewarding
but it can also be very risky. God calls us to trust Him and get out
of the comforts of being able to do it ourselves.
I have known when God has spoken to me in the past. In
fact, I can report of several times in my life that I knew God was
leading and speaking. I have learned from Foster's work that I need
to make listening more intentional. It is not about listening for the
big events or decisions that need to be made, but rather to listen in
the everyday life for typical events as well as the major events. A
take away learning from this specific discipline was the suggestion
that meditation is to take the “words of scripture as words from
someone you love and ponder them in your heart”3
and that is meditation.
The second learning to report on is the discipline of
Solitude. Foster states, “Silence is one of the deepest Disciplines
of the Spirit simply because it puts the stopper on all
self-justification.”4
I have never intentionally designed a time of complete solitude for
the purpose of seeking and hearing from God. I had not put together
that solitude is a means for God to work and for me to get out of the
way. He is our justification and when we tune our hearts and minds to
his will, we become less and He becomes more. One suggestion Foster
provides for solitude is to take a day away from communication5
and I found that to be something I am not sure I could do. Although,
I would not think I myself as communication dependent, I find myself
fearful of not being connected to the technological communications
offered in today's world. Although a challenge for me, Foster is
correct in teaching that our words should be few, while filled with
Godly communication, demonstrating a complete dependence on God. My
discipline of solitude is to separate from the vast communication
tools within modern grasp and rely on Him for words and responses.
A third “eureka moment” is my need for a spiritual
director. Foster states, “In the middle Ages not even the greatest
saints attempted the depth of the inward journey without the help of
a spiritual director.”6 I need to to have someone that I can confess, share a need, and seek advice in a
way that is outside the circle of circumstance with the intent that
the person will fast and pray for words of direction to offer.
This Spiritual Director is also a challenge for me. I
am a private person and in the world of ministry most of my
colleagues are striving to be better then the next guy or gal. That
dynamic is intimidating and very threatening to share. I have taken
heart in knowing that the “Spirit will never lead in opposition to
the written word.”7Thus, in study of the word, I have felt, I could find the guidance on
my own.
The biggest challenge for me is the desire in my heart
to be more like Christ and learn to live these Spiritual disciplines
in all that I am. Yet, I find myself internally in conflict with my
drive to always be engaged. I relate more to Martha when Jesus tells
her to calm down and slow down and bow down to listen to His
teachings. The world is filled with talented people that can
demonstrate on the outside the fake perception that all is under
control and lead with a religious flare. I seek and want to be a
Godly man that truly demonstrates a dependence on God while
demonstrating and living the disciplines of meditation, prayer,
fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service,
confession, worship, guidance, and celebration.
Foster's work has caused my thinking to change and the
means of processing information for the Kingdom, my family, and for
my personal walk with the Lord. It was a challenge to accept the self
examination. It was worth the effort as a Christ-Follower to step up
and start practicing the Disciplines for a Godly purpose.
Check this book out...it is the effort. You know I love ya, Don
1Richard
J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual
Growth (San Francisco: HarperCollins 1978,: repr., 1988: repr.
1998.) 16.
2Richard
J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual
Growth (San Francisco: HarperCollins 1978,: repr., 1988: repr.
1998.) 17.
3Ibid.
29.
4Ibid.
101.
5Ibid.
107.
6Richard
J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual
Growth (San Francisco: HarperCollins 1978,: repr., 1988: repr.
1998.) 185.
7Ibid.,
188.
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