Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Foster emphasizes that prayer is the most central of the spiritual disciplines because it opens a continuous line of communion with God. He notes how prayer has been the core practice of faithful believers throughout history, including biblical figures, church leaders like Martin Luther and John Wesley, and missionaries such as Adoniram Judson. These individuals viewed prayer not as an add-on to their lives but as fundamental to their daily routines and ministries.

Foster explains that prayer is a learned process rather than an automatic skill. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, suggesting that growth and experimentation are both normal and necessary. He encourages believers to listen for God’s direction and to cultivate an expectation that prayer can indeed change circumstances. Prayer, according to Foster, is not about conforming God’s will to our desires but about being so immersed in God’s presence that one prays in harmony with God’s purposes.

Foster also addresses the importance of compassion when interceding for others, observing that genuine empathy often accompanies effective prayer. He offers practical suggestions—such as focusing on smaller, more immediate needs first—so that believers can learn progressively. The chapter underscores that prayer can be integrated into everyday life, including using imaginative approaches like picturing Jesus bringing healing or peace to specific situations.

Additionally, Foster refutes the notion of a closed universe where nothing can change, arguing instead that prayer partners with God in shaping future events. He encourages believers to persist despite setbacks or unanswered requests, likening the process to examining a faulty television connection until the signal comes through. Ultimately, Foster presents prayer as the primary means by which God transforms human hearts, fosters compassionate concern for others, and aligns believers with the “heartbeat” of the divine will, making prayer both a powerful and necessary endeavor.

Foster explains how this ancient practice, once widely regarded in both Scripture and Christian tradition, has fallen into neglect in modern culture. He points to two primary causes: first, a reaction against medieval ascetic extremes as emphasizing outward form over genuine inward devotion, and second, a cultural mindset that believes constant indulgence of appetite is normal. Foster notes that biblical fasting always focuses on spiritual goals rather than mere physical or political aims. He highlights how significant figures in the Bible—including Moses, David, Esther, and Jesus—fasted at pivotal moments and observes that church leaders such as Luther, Calvin, and Wesley valued fasting as a means of grace.

Although Foster acknowledges that the New Testament does not mandate fasting as a strict command, he underlines Jesus’s assumption that his followers “will” fast in the post-Ascension era. He clarifies that the primary purpose of fasting is to center one’s attention on God rather than to pursue physical benefits or flaunt one’s devotion. By abstaining from food for spiritual reasons, individuals often discover hidden attachments or sins that surface when normal comforts are withdrawn. Foster describes several types of fasting—such as normal, partial, and absolute—cautioning that true absolute fasts are rare and must be approached with care.

Foster advises starting modestly, perhaps skipping two meals, and then gradually extending the length of the fast. He describes the body’s typical stages during a prolonged fast (from initial hunger pangs to eventual feelings of lightness and clarity) and offers suggestions for breaking a fast gently. The most important dimension of fasting, Foster emphasizes, is spiritual, as it draws believers into deeper communion with God, helping them rely on divine sustenance over physical appetite. Overall, he encourages rediscovering this discipline as a joyful, grace-filled practice that fosters transformation.

Foster presents study as a critical means of personal transformation, showing how it renews the mind by focusing on truth. He distinguishes study from mere devotional reading, noting that study analyzes and seeks to understand what is read or observed before responding. Foster stresses that many Christians remain spiritually stuck because they do not harness study to develop new, life-giving thought habits. Drawing upon biblical instruction, he observes that the mind will adopt the pattern of whatever it repeatedly confronts and contemplates.

Foster then explains how study proceeds in four stages: repetition, concentration, comprehension, and reflection. Through repetition and concentrated focus, readers immerse themselves in a subject so thoroughly that the mind naturally begins to absorb the content. Comprehension arises when the meaning of the material becomes clear, while reflection discerns its deeper significance, including how it relates to one’s life. Study, he adds, requires humility since true learning involves submitting oneself to the text, subject, or situation rather than reading only to confirm existing views.

In discussing methodology, Foster outlines “intrinsic” rules—understanding, interpreting, and evaluating a text—and “extrinsic” aids such as experience, supplemental books, and discussion with others. He particularly encourages in-depth study of Scripture, emphasizing that the objective is spiritual change rather than merely accumulating facts. As a complement, he highlights the value of reading spiritual classics, referencing works by historic Christian figures.

Finally, Foster reminds readers that nonverbal “books”—the observation of nature, events, and relationships—also constitute a rich field for study. By carefully observing the created world and human behavior, one can detect patterns that reveal deeper truths. This form of reflection on real-life contexts fosters insight, maturity, and a more discerning engagement with culture. Through diligent study of both Scripture and everyday life, Foster believes believers will experience genuine transformation as their minds align more fully with God’s truth.