We Needed this Discernment Book

Date January 8, 2008 Posted by Amy Hall

I was impressed with the well-rounded picture of discernment expressed in The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment.  Tim Challies approaches the subject from all angles:  its necessity, the centrality of knowledge, the importance of character, decision making in our practical everyday lives, the dangers of failing to discern as well as the pitfalls we can easily fall into when we succeed (pride, witch hunting, withdrawal from Christian fellowship, etc.), and more.

But what I appreciate most is that he puts everything into the proper perspective by grounding the whole enterprise of discernment first and foremost in knowing God:

We can only know God's will when we first know God's truth, for what God desires and requires of us must always be consistent with his character.  Wise decisions are those that are made on the firm basis of what is true about God and, thus, what is true about the world, about life, and about ourselves.  Those who make decisions that honor God are those who have invested effort in studying what God says to be true.  (p. 54)

And he communicates all of this in a clear, accessible, engaging way.  This is why I'm excited about the book–its wisdom, accessibility, and practical help (he doesn't just leave you with a vague challenge to become discerning but gives specific exercises you can use to develop your skill) make this book a great tool for small groups in any church.  And we need this.  We need this to better love, honor, and follow our great and glorious God.

I posed a question to Tim about discernment and will post his response tomorrow, then he'll be ready to discuss the subject with you; be sure to stop by with your comments.  We'll see you then!

Related posts:

  1. Tim Challies Blog Tour
  2. Discernment and Fiction
  3. Chat With Challies This Wednesday
  4. Book Review: Credo by Ray Pritchard
  5. Book Review: Feelings and Faith by Brian Borgman
  6. Book Review: The Power of Integrity by John MacArthur

Category Posted in Amy's Posts, Book Reviews, Main Page, Theology

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.