What promotes growth?

For me, growth can happen through many means. Influence is one, trials are another (but, what a bummer!), and silence is one too (ditto from the last parenthetical sentence).

I’ve been struck lately by reading Richard Foster‘s excellent book on spiritual growth called “Celebration of Discipline” (In its 4 printing, starting in 1978!). One of his great encouragements is to remain silent as we allow God to do our “explaining”.

I have to admit. I’m terrible at silence. I’m a communicator. I say stuff. Plenty of stuff. I’m a writer, a teacher, a parent, a friend, etc. But, ya know, I should shut up more. The temptation to explain our selves and patch up misunderstandings, it seems, can hinder our reliance and dependance on God. Yes, that’s incredibly strange, and sort of hard to hear. But really, we want to fix stuff much too much, am I right? If only we can get in there and makes things right, or fix up a situation, we’ll feel so comforted. It’s a weird little addiction that points to a rather needless futility. We have so little control over how and what others think of us…let alone, the bigger things in our life (health, safety, many circumstances). Let’s be honest.

( I HIGHLY recommend Foster’s book.)

• Do you think Foster has it right?

What are surprising ways that cause growth in you?

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LisaColonDeLay

Lisa Colón DeLay, Puerto Rican, born creator who creates products and resources for spiritual formation. She is the host of Spark My Muse podcast since 2015 and author of The Wild Land Within (2021) and The Way of the Desert Elders (2026)

One thought on “What promotes growth?”

  1. On silence, sounds like Foster has it right. Giving God room to speak, if He chooses, helps on so many levels. It’s even trickier to attempt in the busyness of life, but so worth it. (If I can just get through it!)

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