Before I get into the book, I'd like to tell you a little bit about a guy I kinda know named Brady. Brady has been one of those friend-of-a-friend guys...someone I haven't gotten much time to get to know, but he's good friends with a lot of my good friends. He goes to Karis Community Church, where a lot of my friends go, and I've gotten to see him offer his musical talents at different events. I really don't know much about Brady, but I do know he is a very talented musician. Brady sometimes plays acoustic sets at different events and venues here in Columbia. He'll actually have a set where he just plays guitar. That amazes me. If I tried to do that, the crowd would make their way to the exits after they figure out I'm just playing the same 4 chords repeatedly.
Whether it's watching his acoustic set, or listening as he plays hymns during a wedding, it is a joy to experience. The phrase that came to my mind when I last saw him play was "freedom". Brady plays with such freedom that his creativity is unbound and he is truly able to express himself through the music. But that freedom isn't free. To get to that level, I imagine that Brady has practiced countless hours and is a true student of music. He has likely given many hours to learning scales that seem mundane and uninteresting. However, as Brady has become disciplined in music, he is now given a freedom with the guitar that only a small percentage truly attain.
This is also the picture Donald Whitney gives us in Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life. Steadily practicing these disciplines leads us to Godliness. It takes time and perseverance, but the goal is a freedom that makes all the time spent worth it. Whitney is incredibly encouraging when it comes to spiritual disciplines. He helps us to see the big picture while at the same time giving us very practical tools to help us in the everyday. The book is equally helpful for both the new believer as well as one who has been a Christian many years. I can't say how this compares to other books on the disciplines, such as those by Richard Foster, since I have not read them. I can however wholeheartedly recommend this work.
Whitney goes through the disciplines of Bible intake, prayer, worship, evangelism, serving, stewardship, fasting, silence/solitude, journaling, and learning. I just read this one straight through but know that I would love to go through it in a small group setting or with my spouse. With that picture of Brady playing guitar, I press on, knowing that my discipline is for a purpose - that God would be glorified through me as I seek to become more like Him.
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