Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

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Superficiality,” he begins, causing me to reach for my pencil, “is the curse of our age. ... The classical Disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths.” Let me make this personal: In my relationship with God, I have tended to love him like a much loved relative I see often. What I mean by that is I am delighted to go a few days or weeks without much interaction in the relationship. My daily Bible can be erratic as well my prayer time. Then I end up feeling bad and, upon taking a visit to see my relative (as I continue with the analogy), I tell them, "I'm sorry It's been a few days (or weeks) since we've really spent quality time..." Foster is best known for his 1978 book Celebration of Discipline, which examines the inward disciplines of prayer, fasting, meditation, and study in the Christian life, the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, and the corporate disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. [2] It has sold over one million copies. It was named by Christianity Today as one of the top ten books of the twentieth century. A work described as a sequel to Celebration is Foster's 1985 Money, Sex & Power. [3] and associated study guide. [4] Try praying this "Lord Jesus, I would so appreciate it if you would bring me someone today whom I can serve."

The first four Disciplines (Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, and Study) evidently belong to the Inward category . From an impartial perspective, not all of us, are eager to dig up all those tendencies that keep us away from discovering the real spirituality. Foster (along with several others) also wrote the devotional Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible (now published as The Life with God Study Bible). Two editions of this NRSV-based study Bible exist, one with the apocryphal/ deuterocanonical texts and one without. The book is a blend of mysticism and unorthodox teaching. Someone with any acquaintance with scripture will soon find themselves at odds with this book. The author’s aim seems to be to waste the time of those who read this book with his “insights” into the “inner life.” From reading this book, I would assume Foster has a gastro intestinal disease as his constant grumbling about the “inner person” and “inner light” read as someone unfamiliar with Biblical Christianity but quite familiar with irritable bowl syndrome. Silence is one of the deepest Disciplines of the Spirit simply because it puts the stopper on all self-justification. In summary, discipline is a vital component of personal and spiritual growth. While it can be challenging to practice, the benefits are well worth the effort. In the following sections, we will explore the role of discipline in more detail, as well as the challenges that come with practicing it. We will also take a closer look at the book Celebration of Discipline and its teachings on this important topic.

My Book Notes

One last negative note, say sorry. Foster is better read than viewed. There's a video component to this book, and I'm so glad we did only the first one. He is annoying to watch, his speaking style is not above reproach, and I got so distracted by it that I couldn't hear the message. There's also a smugness about him that seems to eventually settle on a lot of people who deal long in the preaching profession, especially if they get airtime. I don't believe he's insincere at all, but it's better to read him than watch or listen to him. At least I found it so. The book is divided into three parts: Inward Disciplines, Outward Disciplines, and Corporate Disciplines. Each part covers various disciplines that are essential for spiritual growth. Inward Disciplines include meditation, prayer, fasting, and study. Outward Disciplines include simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. Corporate Disciplines include confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. What advantages or disadvantages can you see in formalised liturgy as opposed to more informal worship styles?

Make peace with yourself, and understand that there is not a single person in this world without any blemish. Key Lessons from “Celebration of Discipline” This deep-rooted character formation brings balance to our lives. Anger, bitterness, resentment, rancor, hostility, deceit — these things simply do not have the same control over us that they once did. We feel the impact of this in all our relationships: with our spouse, with our children, with our co-workers, with our neighbors, with our friends. Even with ourenemies. Getting closer to God is a straightforward process if you have the right approach. What does it take for a person to be conscious of the far-greater controlling power?

Open Library

One of the most important aspects of discipline is self-control. Self-control is the ability to control one's emotions, desires, and actions. It is the key to achieving personal success and happiness. When we have self-control, we are able to resist temptation and make better decisions. We are also able to focus on our goals and work towards achieving them. Some of the hardest moments I’ve faced have been lifted when I have remembered that God is a God of joy and that I can celebrate that at all times.

Aplecarea asupra lor cu smerenia venită din realitatea că nu sunt un creștin disciplinat după atâția ani de la prima lecturare, a produs o mică și tainică reușită de creștere. Sunt mulțumitoare!Dividing the Disciplines into three movements of the Spirit, Foster shows how each of these areas contribute to a balanced spiritual life. The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study offer avenues of personal examination and change. The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service help prepare us to make the world a better place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration bring us nearer to one another and to God. Creat după chipul lui Dumnezeu, trec prin viață ca un călător în drum spre eternitate, însă, chipul fiindu-mi degradat, trebuie să învăț cum să meditez, să mă închin, să gândesc " What experience in solitude would you like to have, two years from now, that you do not presently possess? Would you be willing this week to plan it into your schedule for some time in the next twenty-four months?

One of the biggest challenges of practicing discipline is procrastination. It is easy to put off doing something that requires effort or that we don't enjoy. However, procrastination only leads to more stress and anxiety in the long run. To overcome procrastination, it is important to break tasks down into smaller, manageable steps and to set deadlines for each step. This helps to create a sense of urgency and makes it easier to get started. Last but not least, the last four disciplines fall into the Corporate category (confession, worship, guidance, and celebration). Discipline is often associated with punishment or strict rules, but it is much more than that. Discipline is the foundation of personal growth and development. It is the practice of training oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way. When we practice discipline, we develop good habits that help us achieve our personal goals. From that moment on, I have unknowingly been practising the spiritual discipline of celebration – albeit perhaps a little differently to some of the saints through the ages! Meditation, like many of these spiritual practices, is impossible to learn from a book…You must learn by doing. The end goal is that is can be done any time, anywhere, indeed as a constant flow throughout our whole lives, so in some sense there are no hard and fast rules. However, as beginners to the practice, some helpful pointers might be:

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As well as the physical experience, pay attention to what is going on in your heart. Perform the regular tasks of your day, but offer them as worship, as a sacred ministry to the Lord. We started studying it last year in my church Connect Group (small group/home group/life group equivalent), and after the first week - when we tried to cover two of the twelve disciplines in 40 minutes - I was hooked. I rushed out and bought my own copy and have been reading it ever since. Have you ever seen the idea of corporate guidance used in destructive ways? What lessons were you able to learn from that experience?