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A Divine Invitation: Walking Through the Year with God
What if your entire existence was meant to be lived in intimate companionship with the Creator of the universe? Richard J. Foster's "A Year with God" presents this revolutionary idea not as a distant theological concept but as the central narrative of human existence. This transformative work has become a spiritual cornerstone for millions seeking deeper connection with the divine, including celebrities like Bono of U2, who has cited Foster's spiritual formation principles as instrumental in his own faith journey. The book's cultural impact extends far beyond religious circles-it has influenced therapeutic approaches to mental health, leadership development programs in Fortune 500 companies, and even environmental sustainability movements that recognize the spiritual dimension of caring for creation. At its core, this work invites readers into what Foster calls "the with-God life"-a daily journey of transformation through eighteen spiritual disciplines that have shaped faithful people throughout history.
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The With-God Life: Discovering Our Divine Purpose
From the very first pages of Scripture to its final verses, the Bible reveals one consistent theme: human life is meant to be lived "with God." This isn't merely a religious concept but the fundamental reality of our existence. The name Immanuel-"God with us"-pulses throughout biblical narrative, showing God present with countless figures from Abraham to Paul. Our primary task isn't achieving success or finding happiness but understanding this reality and entering the process of transformation into Christlikeness.
Scripture belongs to God and reveals his loving heart. When we read, study, memorize, and meditate on it, we establish the foundation for all Christian disciplines. The Bible isn't merely a collection of moral teachings but a reliable guide for spiritual formation, helping us discover how to let Christ live in every dimension of our being. The aim isn't outward conformity to rules but inner reformation-creating a clean heart and renewed spirit that naturally produces Christlike words and deeds.
The abundant life Jesus promised doesn't happen automatically but requires intentional training through spiritual disciplines-God-ordained practices that help us offer ourselves as "living sacrifices" and develop the fruit of the Spirit. These disciplines include fasting, prayer, study, service, submission, solitude, confession, worship, and many more that saints throughout history have practiced. They have no inherent merit but place us before God, after which divine grace transforms our simple offering into people who embody divine goodness.
All spiritual training must be understood in the context of God's grace. As Paul reminds us, "It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." We're not just saved by grace; we live, pray, fast, study, serve and worship by grace. Yet grace never means inaction-there are things for us to do daily. While we cannot earn God's love, growing in grace requires strenuous effort as Jesus urges us to "strive to enter through the narrow door."
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Prayer: Conversing with the Divine
Imagine having a direct line to the Creator of the universe-a conversation partner who knows you intimately and loves you completely. This is precisely what prayer offers: interactive conversation with God about what we and God are thinking and doing together. It's how we participate in our growing love relationship with him-what George Buttrick calls "friendship with God."
For many of us, prayer causes guilt or confusion. We feel we don't pray enough or correctly. Richard Foster offers reassurance: "We will never have pure enough motives, or be good enough, or know enough in order to pray rightly. We simply must set all these things aside and begin praying." Through this practice, God transforms us to be more like Christ, aligning our thoughts and will with His and enabling us to join His kingdom work.
Simple prayer means bringing ourselves with all our needs and circumstances to God, even when our concerns feel petty or selfish. It involves sharing everything-our frustrations, joys, complaints, and celebrations-just as biblical figures did. Jesus' pattern for prayer in the Lord's Prayer is remarkably concise, focusing more on God's desires than our wants. Half of the prayer involves worshiping God and seeking His kingdom and will rather than asking for personal gain.
Daniel's consistent prayer practice distinguished him among his peers. Even when threatened with death for praying to God rather than the king, Daniel maintained his habit of praying three times daily. His faithfulness and integrity were so complete that his enemies could find no corruption in him. Similarly, Paul emphasizes the expansiveness of prayer with his fourfold repetition of "all" in Ephesians 6:18-"all times," "all prayer," "all perseverance," and "all the saints." The more we pray, the more we think to pray, and as we see God's responses, our confidence spills over into other areas of life.
When we pray, we are never "on our own." The Spirit is always praying in and for us. The primary energy in our spiritual formation is not our will or determination, but the ever-present Spirit. As Paul writes, "We do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words."
Our prayers transcend earthly limitations, breaking through the time barrier to join eternal worship. Revelation shows angels bringing our prayers before God with reverence, placing them as incense upon the golden altar. These "prayers of the saints" rise before God's throne, honored beyond our imagination. When we pray, we can take comfort knowing our prayers matter and are heard, even when answers don't come as expected.
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Study: Engaging Mind with Scripture
Study is the intentional process of engaging the mind with God's Word and creation in a way that transforms us from within. When God established his covenant with Israel through the Law, study became essential to life with God. Jesus himself studied Torah extensively, demonstrating its importance in spiritual formation.
Scripture is "inspired by God and useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness." Though we value the Bible, most Christians don't study it enough, particularly longer passages. Foster recommends selecting one extended passage-perhaps Psalm 119, several Gospel chapters, or an entire Letter-to read daily for ten days. Begin with repetition (reading aloud or writing it out), move to concentration (memorizing portions), then interpretation (using commentaries), and finally reflection. Remember the "1 Corinthians 13 Test": all study should ultimately increase our capacity for love.
When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he committed to three purposes: studying God's law, practicing what he learned, and teaching others. Rabbinical tradition holds study as most important among prayer, good works, and study-forming the foundation for the others. Ezra's whole-life commitment to Scripture connected him intimately with God, so that "the gracious hand of his God was upon him." His dedication shows how Scripture study brings more than head knowledge; it brings God himself into our being, for "the word of God is living and active."
Nehemiah's prayer after learning Jerusalem was in trouble reveals a mind thoroughly saturated with Scripture. Almost every phrase derives from sacred text, showing how biblical words had become his own thoughts. His prayer weaves together passages from Deuteronomy, Kings, and Psalms, demonstrating how the Bible serves as a profound resource for addressing God.
When Ezekiel literally and figuratively eats the scroll containing "lamentation and mourning and woe," he internalizes God's word until it becomes part of his being. Surprisingly, this bitter news tastes sweet, echoing the Psalmist's description of the law's sweetness. This powerful metaphor reveals the purpose of spiritual disciplines-through prayer, study, worship and service, we digest God's word into our core, where it nourishes and transforms us from within.
As Dallas Willard observes, "we are all somebody's disciples." Throughout life, we apprentice ourselves to parents, peers, teachers-even books, magazines, and media. These influences shape us, often unconsciously, as their habits and ideas become ingrained in us. Paul urges believers to be "transformed by the renewing of your minds" rather than conformed to the world. This requires careful discernment about who and what we surround ourselves with, as we become like those we spend time with.
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Confession: Finding Freedom Through Honesty
Confession involves sharing our deepest weaknesses and failures with God and trusted others to experience God's forgiveness and healing. When Jesus died on the cross, he took in all sins past and present. We're freed from sin when we confess and ask forgiveness, but this requires complete honesty.
First John reminds us that if we deny our sin, "we deceive ourselves," but confession brings forgiveness and cleansing. The three-step process includes examination of conscience, expressing genuine sorrow, and determining to avoid future sin. Some may need God's help to recognize hidden sins, while others struggle with accepting forgiveness for confessed sins.
Jesus empowered his disciples to forgive sins, making confession to trusted others a powerful practice, though we often hesitate because we view our community as "a fellowship of saints before we see it as a fellowship of sinners." Whether we hide sin from others out of shame or hide it from ourselves through denial, unconfessed sin damages our souls.
In Hosea, God invites Israel to "take words" and return to the Lord-showing that while repentance involves action, it often begins with speaking. The divine grace that responds to our confession is already working to elicit it. Our words, "the fruit of our lips," are all we need to offer; no animal sacrifice required. What a blessing that we can confess directly to God with nothing more than our sincere repentance!
Psalm 38 models unqualified confession through a detailed account of physical and emotional distress caused by sin. Unlike Job who defends his integrity, this psalmist accepts his illness as God's judgment. The simple confession-"I am sorry for my sin"-demonstrates taking full responsibility without excuses or blame. Sometimes the simplest heartfelt "I'm sorry" is all we need when burdened by sin.
In Nehemiah, the people's oath to "observe and do all the commandments" serves as their "Amen" to a prayer of confession. True repentance always links to changed life-the word for "repentance" in both Testaments implies "returning" to God's ways. While forgiveness is an act of grace, living out faith disciplines requires our effort. Putting one's life under God's authority is our signature of faith, our response to divine grace.
Numbers provides specific instructions for making restitution after confession-repaying the wronged party the full amount plus one-fifth. Restitution itself becomes a spiritual discipline, helping transform enslaved habits into holy ones. While not all sin requires restitution, our innate integrity often demands making amends for tangible harms we've caused.
Psalm 32 celebrates the happiness of those whose transgressions are forgiven and "whose sin is covered." The psalmist contrasts the physical and emotional toll of unconfessed sin-wasting away, groaning, feeling God's heavy hand-with the relief of acknowledgment: "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the guilt of my sin." The steady practice of confession helps us overcome the subtle ways we deceive ourselves and others, ultimately leading to the joy of being forgiven.
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Worship: Expressing the Greatness of God
Worship is expressing the greatness, beauty, and goodness of God through words, music, rituals, and silent adoration. Scripture consistently commands us to worship God alone, as Jesus affirmed when tempted by Satan. True worship isn't guaranteed by form or ritual but flows from a heart that sees God as worthy.
Jesus teaches that true worshipers worship in spirit and truth, not just during church services but throughout daily life. Integrating worship into everyday existence helps us grow more sensitive to God's voice and presence. Richard Foster discovered that spending a year trying to live in constant awareness of Jesus enhanced his communal worship experiences and improved his ability to distinguish God's voice amid life's noise.
Psalm 96 demonstrates how praise forms the heartbeat of worship in Scripture. When we encounter God's magnificence, our natural response is proclamation-bearing witness to divine glory. William Temple's definition of worship captures this essence: it quickens the conscience through God's holiness, feeds the mind with divine truth, purges imagination with divine beauty, opens the heart to divine love, and devotes the will to divine purpose.
In the Passover instructions, God demonstrates that even in times of danger, ritual has spiritual significance. The precise details God provides show that not just why we worship or what we do matters, but how we worship. God infuses common objects with divine meaning and establishes practices that shape who we become. These rituals-with their specific words, prayers, and actions-help us retain spiritual truths and form our character through intentional worship.
The Festival of Booths described in Leviticus illustrates how God uses commemorative rituals to help His people remember His saving acts. By living in temporary shelters for seven days, Israelites physically reenacted their ancestors' wilderness experience, embedding the memory of God's deliverance from Egypt into their collective consciousness. This embodied worship practice demonstrates how ritual can connect generations through shared remembrance of God's faithfulness.
When Jesus walked on water toward his terrified disciples, they initially mistook him for a ghost. Only Peter dared step out in faith, walking toward Jesus until fear of the elements overtook him. Though Jesus called him "you of little faith," the encounter culminates with all disciples worshiping Jesus as "truly the Son of God." This story reveals worship emerging from an encounter with divine power that overcomes human fear.
Job's response to devastating loss-tearing his robe, shaving his head, falling to the ground, and worshiping-demonstrates profoundly rooted piety. The power of ritual carries him through overwhelming distress. His worship amidst catastrophe reveals how suffering deepens our knowledge of God, teaching us that divine presence persists even when God seems distant.
Isaiah warns against worship that honors God with lips while hearts remain distant. We've all experienced this disconnect-sitting in church with minds far from God, praying familiar words without heart engagement. True worship requires preparation: arriving early, opening our hearts to God, praying for worship leaders and fellow congregants, focusing on God's presence, and singing directly to Him. This intentional approach transforms our worship experience from routine to genuine encounter.
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Service: Following Christ's Example
Service stands as one of the Bible's most frequently mentioned disciplines. From the beginning, God's people pledged themselves as servants, directed to care for others as a way of living rather than an occasional activity. Jesus made it clear that he was both God's servant and servant of others, teaching that the cultural order must be inverted: "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." He demonstrated this by washing his disciples' feet, culminating in his ultimate act of servanthood on the cross.
Paul teaches that service isn't merely an occasional commitment but a way of viewing every task as service to the Lord. In his letter to the Colossians, he instructs slaves to work "wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord," reminding us that we are all ultimately servants of God. The Hebrew word ebed and Greek word doulos both literally mean "slave," indicating the complete submission we owe to God. By serving others, we serve Christ himself, transforming even the most menial tasks into sacred acts when done with the right attitude.
In the wilderness, God assigned specific Levitical clans to dismantle, transport, and reassemble the tabernacle-tasks Scripture describes as "serving" and "carrying." This demonstrates how participation in God's community involves tangible work. God assigns each of us specific duties not merely to accomplish tasks, but to develop our spiritual maturity and character. Our growth pleases God when we serve wholeheartedly in our God-given ministries, whether serving coffee to colleagues or carrying someone's groceries.
Serving God often means standing firm in faith when those around us falter. When the Israelite spies returned from Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb trusted God's promise despite the challenges ahead. God specifically calls Caleb "my servant" and describes him as having "a different spirit," highlighting his wholehearted devotion. True servants of God see reality through God's perspective rather than human limitations, demonstrating unwavering trust even when facing opposition.
The construction of the tabernacle reveals that service flows from willing hearts. Everyone whose "heart was stirred" and "spirit was willing" contributed their possessions and skills. This communal effort-not just from leaders but from all people-created a dwelling place for God. The tabernacle emerged from a spirituality of the many, where each person offered their unique gifts, whether gold jewelry, fine textiles, or skilled craftsmanship, as freewill offerings to the Lord.
Jesus overturns conventional power structures by teaching that true greatness comes through service. While worldly rulers lord their authority over others, Christ's followers must become servants and slaves to be first in God's kingdom. As Dallas Willard notes, this discipline is especially crucial for Christians in positions of influence: "To live as a servant while fulfilling socially important roles is one of the greatest challenges any disciple ever faces." Service frees us from appearance-consciousness, allowing us to be simply "clay" serving other "clay" in humble love.
Jesus redefines greatness through the humble act of washing his disciples' feet-a task reserved for the lowest servants. Peter's resistance reveals how challenging it is to accept such radical servanthood. By taking the towel and basin, Jesus demonstrates that true leadership means becoming the least. As Richard Foster notes, "The disciples were keenly aware that someone needed to wash the others' feet. The problem was that the only people who washed feet were the least. So there they sat, feet caked with dirt... Then Jesus took a towel and basin and redefined greatness."
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Secrecy: Cultivating Hidden Virtue
The discipline of secrecy involves consciously refraining from having our good deeds and qualities generally known, which disciplines our longing for recognition. When we fast, pray, or give in secret as Jesus advises in Matthew 6, we ensure our motivation is pure-seeking God's approval rather than human praise. This practice cultivates humility and true love for others while allowing us to meditate on our "hidden" God.
Jesus demonstrates the discipline of secrecy when healing a deaf man with a speech impediment. He takes the man "aside in private" and orders witnesses to tell no one about the miracle. Yet despite his instructions, "the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it." This illustrates Dallas Willard's principle of letting God be our public relations department. The passage encourages practicing spiritual disciplines privately-praying where no one can see, refraining from mentioning spiritual practices to others, and curbing impulses to present ourselves favorably.
Jesus warns against practicing piety to be seen by others, addressing three traditional Jewish duties: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. He teaches that performing these for human approval eliminates divine reward. Instead, giving should be done so secretly that "your left hand doesn't know what your right hand is doing." Prayer should happen behind closed doors with your "Father who is in secret." When fasting, one should appear normal rather than displaying discomfort. This teaching fundamentally reorients spiritual practice away from public performance toward intimate communion with God.
Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees who "do all their deeds to be seen by others," comparing them to whitewashed tombs-beautiful outside but filled with death inside. This illustrates the danger of practicing disciplines without secrecy, when religious observance becomes more about impressing others than connecting with God. John of the Cross similarly warns beginners in spiritual life about developing "secret pride" in their religious works, encouraging them instead to "think very little of themselves" and focus on God's greatness, keeping "their treasures secretly within themselves."
The psalmist's request for God to "teach me wisdom in my secret heart" connects deeply to the discipline of secrecy. This inner sanctuary where God meets us becomes the foundation for authentic spiritual formation-away from public display and human approval. The anonymous prayer included ("O secret Christ, Lord of the rose of dawn...") beautifully captures the essence of secrecy as spiritual practice: finding Christ's "silent peace" that sustains us "throughout the turmoil of day."
Despite Jesus repeatedly seeking privacy-here entering a house in Tyre not wanting anyone to know he was there-"he could not escape notice." This paradox illustrates Dallas Willard's insight that "one of the greatest fallacies of our faith...is the thought that our spiritual acts and virtues need to be advertised to be known." Jesus exemplified genuine secrecy, yet his light naturally drew people to him. The passage encourages believers to practice secrecy while trusting God with the revelation of good works in His timing.
Jesus' teaching that "you are the light of the world" and that "a city built on a hill cannot be hid" seems to contrast with his instruction on practicing piety in private. Yet these teachings complement each other: letting our light shine is God's business for His glory, while public displays of piety serve human pride. As Meister Eckhart notes, spiritual maturity means becoming "free of our works as we perform them," so that God's light shines through us "undiminished, whatever the occasion, whatever the environment."
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Guidance: Discerning God's Direction
God desires an interactive friendship with us that provides direction and purpose to daily life. Throughout Scripture, we see God offering continued guidance through various means: the "still small voice," through others, and through Scripture. As Dallas Willard notes, people "are meant to live in an ongoing conversation with God." Divine guidance isn't just about specific decisions but about who God wants us to be.
God's guidance and counsel are available to us, but not as a puppet master controls a puppet. As E. Stanley Jones explains, God guides us in ways that develop our character and spontaneity without overriding our autonomy. We can practice this discipline by studying how biblical figures heard from God, remaining open to guidance through Scripture, the still small voice, or others' words.
When called by God, Jeremiah's first response was resistance, citing his youth and inexperience. This is typical of divine calling-God often summons those who seem too young, too timid, too old, or too immoral. The story isn't about the called person's virtues but about a risk-taking God who equips and stands beside those called to service. God essentially says, "I'm getting ready to revolutionize the whole world-and guess who's going to help me?" We often nurse our limitations as excuses to ignore our divine vocation.
Samuel's calling demonstrates God's unexpected choices. Though just a child, Samuel is called while the more qualified adults-Eli and his sons-are passed over. This divine pattern of choosing unlikely vessels runs throughout scripture. God consistently aligns with the unexpected: Jacob over Esau, Israel over Egypt, and now a child over experienced priests. Samuel's simple response-"Speak, for your servant is listening"-becomes the model for all who would hear God's voice.
God's voice comes through unexpected channels-even the mouth of a donkey. Balaam, so focused on his own agenda, couldn't see the angel blocking his path, but his donkey could. Sometimes we miss God's guidance because we aren't truly listening. The spiritual life requires attentiveness to the Lord's voice, however and through whomever it may come-even to a Moabite prophet through his stubborn mount.
Ananias's obedience to his vision-helping the notorious persecutor Saul-demonstrates how God guides through both supernatural visions and ordinary human interactions. His faithfulness shines in his first word to Saul: "Brother." God's guidance often flows through his people to others, creating a web of divine direction that transforms lives through human relationships and mutual submission to heavenly wisdom.
When seeking confirmation of God's guidance, Ignatius of Loyola teaches that good influences provide courage, strength, peace and greater love, while evil influences cause regret, sadness and disquiet. These discernment principles offer clarity when we feel unsure about which path to take. We can trust that the Holy Spirit speaks through trusted friends, contemplative prayer, and the peace that comes from aligning with God's purposes.
The First Letter of John beautifully describes guidance as flowing from an interactive friendship with God. When we love in truth and action, we gain confidence that God hears our prayers and responds to our requests. Following God's will becomes less about specific actions and more about living a life consistent with God's purposes-a relationship of intimacy where our desires align with the Father's good pleasure.
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Meditation: Listening for God's Voice
Meditation in the Christian tradition is not about emptying oneself as in Eastern practices, but about filling oneself with God and forming a deeper attachment to Christ. It involves prayerful rumination upon God, His Word, and His world-focusing more on listening than talking, being more devotional than analytical. This countercultural practice invites us to slow down, ponder deeply, and engage both our emotions and imaginations as we seek to listen for God's voice.
For effective Scripture meditation, we're encouraged to choose a short passage-perhaps just a sentence-and enter it as an active participant. Rather than merely studying the text, we're invited to be "initiated into the reality of which the passage speaks." This holy reading (lectio divina) involves patient receptivity, beginning with silence, then reading prayerfully, ready to pause and soak in words as God opens them to us, allowing direct and transforming teaching.
God instructed Joshua that effective leadership requires concentrated meditation on God's law. We are called to talk about the word, think about it, and obey it. Every verse of Scripture represents a potential summons from God-not merely asking "What do these words mean?" but "What is God summoning me to do through these words?" As we become familiar with Scripture, the Spirit brings these words to memory when needed, becoming our defense against sin.
Mary's response to the shepherds' account of angels announcing Jesus' birth offers a model of meditation-she "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." Her entire life was spent contemplating Jesus and the words about him. As Bonhoeffer suggests, we should accept Scripture as we accept the words of someone we love, not analyzing them but pondering them in our hearts, as Mary did.
Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd whose sheep know his voice. John's Gospel records seven "I am" metaphors for Christ that teach us about God's triune grace that rescues, restores, and guides us. These statements provide rich ground for meditation. The comforting assurance is that those who are Christ's sheep naturally recognize his voice-we need not fear being unable to discern him in contemplative prayer if we trust him to shepherd our lives.
Psalm 77 portrays deep spiritual anguish-moaning at the thought of God and questioning if His steadfast love has ceased forever. The psalmist meditates and searches his spirit in the night, wrestling with profound questions about God's faithfulness. These stark laments reveal how meditation can become a path through darkness, as confessions of trust emerge between complaints and pleas for help.
The answer to the psalmist's anguish comes through meditating on God's works and mighty deeds. Where before he searched his spirit for reasons behind his misfortune, now he focuses on God's redemptive acts. This dramatic shift from self-focus to God-focus becomes the pathway to renewed hope. True meditation requires prayer, earnest study of Scripture, and disciplined labor-the light shines only for those spiritually prepared to receive it.
Setting our minds on things above requires creating space free from life's distractions. In meditative prayer, we find a comfortable position, perhaps focus on a simple word like "Jesus" or "Abba," and gently return to this focus when our minds wander. With practice, our minds form new habits of turning inward. Starting with just five minutes, we can gradually extend our practice, journaling insights God reveals about ourselves, our relationships, or His nature.
