Of all the books on my 2020 reading list, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney was the one I wanted to read most. It is about various spiritual practices, their necessity in the Christian life, and how to apply them.
The premise of the book comes from 1 Timothy 4:7 NASB, which says to, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
So what are spiritual disciplines? Whitney says they are, “those personal and corporate disciplines that promote spiritual growth. They are the habits of devotion and experiential Christianity that have been practiced by the people of God since biblical times.”
The purpose behind this book is twofold: to encourage Christians to discipline themselves in spiritual practices, and to do them with an end goal in mind. Whiney says, “The Lord Jesus not only expects these disciplines of us, He modeled them for us. He applied His heart to discipline, He disciplined Himself, for the purpose of godliness. And if we are going to be Christlike, we must live as Christ lived.”
Therefore, not only must we discipline ourselves spiritually, but we must practice them with purpose because “discipline without direction is drudgery.” And when we do it intending to conform to the glorious image of Christ, the drudgery becomes a delight.
The book begins by introducing us to spiritual disciplines and their necessity for godliness. Then it follows with eleven chapters on ten spiritual disciplines: Bible intake (two sections), prayer, worship, evangelism, serving, stewardship, fasting, silence and solitude, journaling, and learning. It concludes with an encouraging note on persevering in the disciplines.
I found Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life easy to read, compelling and convicting. Whitney did an excellent job of explaining the disciplines’ importance and their purpose in our lives.
I love how he structured each chapter. He told the meaning and significance of each spiritual discipline using the Holy Scriptures, and then he gave practical advice to apply them. Every chapter provided me with an actionable next step to practice what I learned.
I also appreciated the plethora of quotations from other Christians throughout the book. Whitney pulled from the experience of seasoned saints and included their thoughts on spiritual disciplines and how they played a critical role in their spiritual lives. It was motivating and encouraging. I particularly enjoyed George Mueller’s input on prayer.
Overall, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life was delightful, primarily because it was so hands-on. It is the most practical Christian book I have read (I haven’t read that many, though), and I loved that I could implement what I learned right away. I have already made daily changes to discipline myself in spiritual practices, and I think I will follow J. I. Packer’s advice in the foreword is to revisit this book in a month to see if I have progressed.
Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, I am sure this book will be a blessing to you! I highly recommend it!
Thank you for this Audrey
Thank you for reading Progress!