Full Answer Section

Mathis also emphasizes the importance of having a community of believers to help us to hear God’s voice. He writes, “We need other Christians to help us interpret the Bible, to pray for us, and to speak truth to us.”

Having God’s Ear

The second category of spiritual disciplines is having God’s ear. This means developing the habit of praying regularly. Mathis writes, “Prayer is the way we talk to God about everything. We can tell him about our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, our needs and our desires.”

Mathis encourages us to pray for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for the world around us. He also emphasizes the importance of persevering in prayer, even when we don’t feel like it or when we don’t see immediate results.

Belonging to God’s People

The third category of spiritual disciplines is belonging to God’s people. This means developing the habit of participating in the life of the church. Mathis writes, “The church is the body of Christ, and we are members of that body. We need each other to grow in our faith and to live out our calling as Christians.”

Mathis encourages us to find a church where we can worship God, learn from the Bible, and serve alongside other believers. He also emphasizes the importance of being in relationships with other Christians who can encourage us and challenge us.

*Strengths of Habits of Grace

• Mathis’ book is well-written and easy to read.
• Mathis provides practical and actionable advice on how to develop the spiritual disciplines.
• Mathis emphasizes the importance of grace and the fact that the spiritual disciplines are not about earning God’s favor.
• Mathis’ book is rooted in the Bible and in the Christian tradition.

*Weaknesses of Habits of Grace

• Some readers may find that Mathis’ book is too focused on the practical aspects of the spiritual disciplines and not enough on the theological foundations of those disciplines.
• Other readers may find that Mathis’ book is too simplistic or that it does not adequately address the challenges of developing and maintaining the spiritual disciplines.

Overall Assessment

Overall, Habits of Grace is a valuable resource for Christians who are seeking to grow in their relationship with God. Mathis provides practical and actionable advice on how to develop the spiritual disciplines in a way that is both grace-centered and biblical.

Additional Critical Comments

One of the things that I appreciate most about Habits of Grace is that Mathis emphasizes the importance of grace. He reminds us that the spiritual disciplines are not about earning God’s favor, but rather about experiencing his grace more fully.

I also appreciate that Mathis’ book is rooted in the Bible and in the Christian tradition. He provides numerous biblical texts to support his claims, and he draws on the wisdom of Christian theologians from throughout history.

However, I do have a few criticisms of Habits of Grace. One criticism is that Mathis’ book is too focused on the practical aspects of the spiritual disciplines and not enough on the theological foundations of those disciplines. For example, he does not discuss the nature of grace in great detail, nor does he explain the relationship between the spiritual disciplines and the gospel.

Another criticism is that Mathis’ book is too simplistic. He does not adequately address the challenges of developing and maintaining the spiritual disciplines. For example, he does not discuss how to deal with spiritual dryness or how to overcome the temptation to give up on the spiritual disciplines.

Overall, I think Habits of Grace is a valuable resource for Christians who are seeking to grow in their relationship with God. However, I would encourage readers to supplement Mathis’ book with other resources that provide a deeper theological