Discipline and the Spiritual Life

October 3, 2007 | Filed Under henri nouwen, spiritual formation | 2 Comments

henri-nouwen.jpgHere are two quotes from Henri Nouwen that are taken from The Sacred Way by Tony Jones. The first is a quote about spiritual disciplines and the second deals specifically with the discipline of silence and solitude.

“In the spiritual like, the word ‘discipline’ means ‘the effort to create some space in which God can act.’ Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you’re not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn’t planned or counted on.”

“As ministers our greatest temptation is toward too many words. They weaken our faith and make us lukewarm. But silence is a sacred discipline, a guard of the Holy Spirit.”

- Henri Nouwen

Clinging to God in Solitude

August 19, 2007 | Filed Under henri nouwen, spiritual formation | 1 Comment

henri-nouwen.jpg“When we enter into solitude to be with God alone, we quickly discover how dependent we are. Without the many distractions of our daily lives, we feel anxious and tense. When nobody speaks to us, calls on us, or needs our help, we start feeling like nobodies. Then we begin wondering whether we are useful, valuable, and significant. Our tendency is to leave this fearful solitude quickly and get busy again to reassure ourselves that we are ’somebodies.’ But that is a temptation, because what makes us somebodies is not other people’s responses to us but God’s eternal love for us.”

- Henri Nouwen (HT: dream awakener)