Reading and Thinking

Over the last few months, I´ve been reading several books and thinking alot!

It all started with Dietrich Bonhoeffer´s classic 'Life Together'. He says 'let him who cannot be alone beware of community' and then 'let him who is not in community beware of being alone'. What (I think) he means is that somehow we need to find the balance -- our alone time with God most be where we gain our strength and hold our identity in God, but it then needs expression in community, as we relate to one another. So often, people use the sense of being sociable and achieving lots of activity as simple avoidance of being alone, when we are faced with the reality of ourselves, not just the image we portray. On the other hand, for those of us who like being alone, it can be easy to look down on 'activity' as not being quite spiritual enough, when really - whatever we gain in solitude, is not solely for our benefit, but also for the blessing of those around us.

Then I´ve read a few more books, with variations on those themes...

Rhythms of Grace: Finding Intimacy with God in a busy life, by Tony Horsfall. That was great in thinking through how we can quieten the soul - to be still with God - which isn´t necessarily an absense of external activity, but is much more of an attitude of our hearts.

Life Together in Christ: Experiencing Transformation in Community, by Ruth Haley Barton, looked at how we can be authentic with one another and encourage each other in the transforming work that Jesus does in us, but not in isolation.

Sleeping with Bread: Holding what gives you life, by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn and Matthew Linn is a beautiful book about using a process called the 'examen' to reflect on our experiences in life - to celebrate the goodness and appropriately work through our negative emotions. All of that best done in community.

And most recently I´ve read Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a culture stripped of Grace, by Miraslav Volf. A bit more of an academic book, but it does exactly what it says on the front! Recognising the absence of grace in our society, as Christians we are called to be countercultural as we give and forgive generously  - just as we have received the generous gifts of forgiveness from God.

Just wanted to share a bit of what I´ve been reading and thinking.