Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

The next step on my spiritual journey led me to learning about spiritual disciplines. This book is PACKED full of helpful, fascinating information. It was exactly what I needed.

We are doing this for a book club, and I received the old edition instead of the new one. After comparing a new edition that my friend had, they are pretty significantly different- so make sure you check which edition you want before ordering (or just order new)! Excellent book.

I almost always carry a journal or notebook with me so I can scribble down thoughts as they come to me during the day. Some of these turn into articles and others turn into devotional material. More often than not I look at them weeks or months later and have absolutely no idea what they mean or what I was thinking when I scribbled them down. Recently I saw a comment in a notebook that did make sense to me. I had written about the difference between my friend Jason and myself when we sit down with a guitar on our laps and a sheet of music in front of us. I can read the music and strum those strings and make nothing but awful, painful sounds that bear little resemblance to music. Jason, on the other hand, can sit down and make music at will, even with no sheet music in front of him. The difference between Jason and myself is not necessarily inate musical ability or the quality of our guitars. The difference is in disciplined practice. Jason has dedicated thousands of hours to honing his skills so that it seems to require little effort to play the music. The freedom to play with this skill has come only at the expense of dedicated, disciplined effort. Don Whitney uses this same metaphor to show the importance of being disciplined in the pursuit of godliness, for there is freedom in discipline. The freedom to grow in godliness - "to naturally express Christ's character through your own personality - is in large part dependent on a deliberate cultivation of the spiritual disciplines." (From the back cover) And so this book is an examination of spiritual disciplines - disciplines provided by God which are designed to help us grow in godliness, allowing us to become more and more conformed to the image of Christ. The disciplines Whitney writes about are: * Bible intake * Prayer * Worship * Evangelism * Serving * Stewardship * Fasting * Silence and solitude * Journalling * Learning The book is prefaced with an examination of the reason for disciplining ourselves in the spiritual disciplines and Whitney teaches here that we are to do all things for God's glory. Because God requires each of these disciplines of us, there is danger in neglecting any of them. Each of the disciplines is then examined in the light of bringing glory to God through them. The book closes with encouragment in persevering in the disciplines, even in the inevitable times of spiritual dryness. Each of the disciplines is drawn from and examined in the light of Scripture. The author shows how the Biblical basis for each discipline, explains how it will help the Christian grow in godliness and provides practical suggestions for beginning the practice. Each chapter closes with a section entitled "More Application" where the reader is challenged to put these practices info effect in his life. One of my favorite aspects about Whitney's writings, in this book and his others, is that he draws heavily from the Puritans and from other great Christ

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life is absolutely one of the very best books that I have read in my own personal spiritual journey of 36 years. I would probably rate it in the top three that I have read during this time and I am a very avid reader. This book is about change. We can live our day to day lives and never experience any growth, but this book will definitely include change and growth in a believer's life. I am going to recommend it to my pastor, minister of education and music minister and any other believer I come in contact with that is serious about growing in their Christian life.The only reason I came across this book was I was cleaning and found it and it looked interesting. I think I got it when my aunt passed away. But, it was definitely a "I can't put this book down," type of book in my life. I would really like to see my entire church go through the study guide. I believe it would make so much difference in all of our lives.