John Wesley believed in the power of frequently practiced spiritual disciplines. The Balance Group has recently visited this Wesleyan emphasis. I have appreciated the challenging conversations wherein we struggle with how to practice these disciplines amidst the busi-ness of school, work, and homemaking.
My parents recently asked me what I thought of the fringe "church" in Florida with designs on burning a copy of the Quran, Muslims' primary sacred text. Any assumption about the intent of the group's leader is unfair, but I responded quickly with the speculation that the group's leader got what he wanted--media attention. The conversation moved on to questions about Islam. I shared what I knew about the five pillars of Islam. Impressed by the frequency and regularity of spiritual disciplines at the core of Islam, my mom responded (and I'll paraphrase) "Muslims are very good at faithfulness."
Surely embedded in this statement could be a mix of emotions, including guilt and awe.
The grad study recently discussed the eastern Orthodox appreciation for the "cloud of witnesses" who accompany Christians on their journey. I noted that my great grandmother remains one of those witnesses to me for her radical trust in God and the practice of spiritual disciplines as second-nature, even as she struggled with Alzheimers disease.
As we struggle to improve our practice of spiritual disciplines, I see a vision of practice that focuses on awe rather than guilt. Awe of God. Awe inspired by the faithful cloud of witnesses. Then, also, I am encouraged by a recent blog post on Experimental Theology that relates a personal story of how one person has experienced joy in sharing the Book of Common Prayer (a valuable Anglican resource for anyone interested in spiritual practices) to his children.
Who are the witnesses who inspire you? What are the meaningful, effective ways you practice spiritual disciplines?
