Andy Crouch (2017) on solitude, silence, and fasting: The central disciplines of the spiritual life, as taught by generations of Christian saints, have stayed the same for twenty centuries now: solitude, silence, and fasting. Each of these pushes us beyond our natural limits, and all of them give us spiritual resources for everyday life that we can't gain any other way.Very few of us, for example, are meant to spend our lives largely alone, but there person who has not experienced or cannot … [Read more...] about Crouch on Solitude
Spirituality
The Formula for Spiritual Growth
Most people love a formula. Do this. Do that. And you'll get this. Simple. No mystery. No strain. No unpredictability. We want a formula for dating, marriage, work, community, church, sports, and especially for our spiritual lives. Two cups of Bible. One half teaspoon of sermons. Three tablespoons of unsalted community. Stir in devotional book. Evenly pray pan. Preheat to 350 degrees of worship. Let stand for two mission trips. It sounds a little complicated, sure, but wouldn't … [Read more...] about The Formula for Spiritual Growth
Coming to Stillness
Peruse a devotional book in the contemplative stream, and you will often find the initial call of every reading is first the call to “come to stillness.” Coming to stillness seems to be the hurdle of my personal devotion. The tasks of devotion are pleasant enough. Reading the Bible is often enjoyable and productive. The silent reflection I welcome. And I certainly have plenty for which to pray. The problem is not what I find in stillness. It’s simply coming to stillness. I recently … [Read more...] about Coming to Stillness
Everyday Spirituality
The mystics are onto something. There is another plane to this life, something more than we can see, more than we can fully understand. I think it is right and good to embrace and be shaped by that mystery. But even so, we must be careful to avoid platonizing Christian devotion. There is no high life or low life. The goal of my devotion is not to escape this world for some mystical union. Rather, the goal is to see and show God in every aspect of my everyday life. Paul has no tolerance for … [Read more...] about Everyday Spirituality