Outward Discipline Summary

In his book Celebration of Discipline, Richard J. Foster speaks of the importance of having a path to spiritual growth. With that he mentions that there are twelve disciplines (meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration) that lead God’s people closer to him. Each discipline is divided into three groups which are: Inward (meditation, prayer, fasting, and study), Outward (simplicity, solitude, submission, and services), and Corporate (confession, worship, guidance, and celebration). Each discipline shows different ways or steps to become closer to God. The Outward Disciplines show how people can walk with God by helping others, and it makes the world a happier

place to live. In Matthew 25:40 it states “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one our least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” The Inward Disciplines help people become closer to God on a one on one level. And the Corporate Disciplines, which helps people become closer to both their community and God.
Later on in Foster’s book he begins to discuss confession. I was born and raised a Catholic and had to go to confession. And I absolutely dreaded going. I hated the feeling of going to a priest and having to tell him all of my sins. Because as Foster said “We cannot bear to reveal our failures and shortcomings to others” we feel like we are worthless and unworthy for God. But in reality we are not by ourselves in our sins. But we are so stuck on what people think of us, but all that is important is what God thinks of us. And God loves us and will always forgive us. After I finished the book my view on confession changed. And when I finally poured out my sins and faults I felt like a weight was lifted off of me and I felt more filled with God’s love, and I knew that God truly loves me.