I finished the chapter on study and found that Foster meant for more than scripture to be studied. He encourages the study of other books, particularly Christian classics. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship was mentioned. Although I still haven't finished that book entirely, it has changed my life. The intensity of Bonhoeffer's walk is motivating and really knocks down walls of complacency.
Foster encourages people to ready through and study large books in the Bible that are often read in segments instead of all the way through. I could benefit from this. But I'm trying to take his advice on reading through a smaller book every day for a month, but haven't succeeded in reading past chapter 2 on the days I've tried. I'm starting to doubt that I can take on the challenge of memorizing the entire book of James. It seems like such a huge book now that I look at it that way. This is what I have so far, "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings."
I have the greeting memorized. Amazing. Discipline is not my strength, as I've noted before.
Another surprising element of study that Foster mentions is the study of nonverbal "books." Nature, current events, human relationships, yourself. He said, for example, to watch "how much our speech is aimed at justifying our actions. We find it almost impossible to act and allow the act to speak for itself... Because of pride and fear, because our reputations are at stake!" I've noticed this in myself lately! And it's driving me nuts how I'm so afraid of people thinking wrongly of me or pointing a guilty finger at me. This is especially true in my marriage. I always want to convince my husband my motives are pure so he will understand why I do things and not be upset. But if my motives are pure then why do I have to keep trying to prove it? I'm kind of annoyed by this in myself now, but at least I'm aware of it. It's a habit I didn't even know existed in myself. Who would have thought I would have discovered it in from reading a chapter on the discipline of study?
Foster encourages people to ready through and study large books in the Bible that are often read in segments instead of all the way through. I could benefit from this. But I'm trying to take his advice on reading through a smaller book every day for a month, but haven't succeeded in reading past chapter 2 on the days I've tried. I'm starting to doubt that I can take on the challenge of memorizing the entire book of James. It seems like such a huge book now that I look at it that way. This is what I have so far, "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings."
I have the greeting memorized. Amazing. Discipline is not my strength, as I've noted before.
Another surprising element of study that Foster mentions is the study of nonverbal "books." Nature, current events, human relationships, yourself. He said, for example, to watch "how much our speech is aimed at justifying our actions. We find it almost impossible to act and allow the act to speak for itself... Because of pride and fear, because our reputations are at stake!" I've noticed this in myself lately! And it's driving me nuts how I'm so afraid of people thinking wrongly of me or pointing a guilty finger at me. This is especially true in my marriage. I always want to convince my husband my motives are pure so he will understand why I do things and not be upset. But if my motives are pure then why do I have to keep trying to prove it? I'm kind of annoyed by this in myself now, but at least I'm aware of it. It's a habit I didn't even know existed in myself. Who would have thought I would have discovered it in from reading a chapter on the discipline of study?
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