Study

Week Five:  Study

What have you learned about practicing the Discipline of Study in your work on Celebration of Discipline so far?

                I realized very quickly that what I thought about “study” was actually quite different from Foster’s explanation of study.  In many ways I was excited to read this chapter because initially I thought to myself, finally something that seems a little easier.  As I began to read I realized how very wrong I was about study being easy.  So what did I learn?  A lot!  One of the biggest things I am realizing is that I am a really good reader, but I am terrible at giving the information I read a chance to make a change.  Foster says, “The purpose of the Spiritual Disciplines is the total transformation of a person.”  This quote alone is my challenge.  It is letting God totally change me.  I can read the assigned readings and check it off the list without too much difficulty, but I struggle to make breathing room.  By this I mean; I struggle to allow what I read or study to go deep and do what it is meant to do, change me.  As I read about the four steps in study, I see how deliberate I need to be.  I also realize how much more time I need to carve out.  A reoccurring theme for me as I read this book is that I need to allow more space in my life for God.  Wow is He having to really tell me this over and over again.  I have to admit I almost laughed out loud as I read Foster talk about taking a few days of solitude to study for 12 hours a day.  This seems obsurd….at first.  Then I realized how much I need to be steeped in the Word of God.  What a challenging chapter.

                So where is my starting point on this?  Well, since I will have a newborn here very shortly a couple days of solitude really is out of the question.  But, one of the things that Foster also talks about is reading the same short book of the Bible every day for one month.  This is where I will begin.  I will try to implement these four steps of repetition, concentration, comprehension, and reflection.  I know that God is so faithful, when I give even the smallest effort I never regret the time I spend with Him.  I also realize that the more I “know” God, really know him the more grounded I will be. 

It’s funny I pray often that my son will know God at a young age, I want him to know God, not just know of Him.  I guess it is about time I work a little harder to be that example.  This translates in so many ways to leading worship.  The more I know God the better I know how to follow Him.  The more effective I can be in leading because I will see and sense where the Holy Spirit is leading.  When I sing the songs, I can sing with more conviction and understanding because I don’t just think that God is good, I will know it.  I am excited to put more effort into this discipline of study.  I really think I have been waiting for this challenge, now it’s time to actually do it.