Tired of Shallow Faith? Unlock the Power of Solitude, Confession & Wisdom
Break free from shallow faith by embracing the transforming power of solitude, confession, and wisdom. See how these timeless practices can deepen your spiritual life and shape a more meaningful walk.
Two reminders for you before I begin today’s post.
1. Word of the Year
I began the year with a series of posts on the Word of the Year project. If you missed those, I encourage you to go back and read them. There is a ton of great information on how to choose, start, and learn from choosing one word for one year (no, it’s not too late to start!).
On Thursday, May 22, I will host a short gathering to encourage you and hear from one another about what we are learning from our individual words. We will meet at 7pm CDT. I’ll send out connection details in next week’s post. Anyone is welcome. Let’s grow together!
2. Bits of Knowledge
Second, my 2025 Word of the Year is KNOWLEDGE. I’ve committed to reading more, listening to more podcasts, and delving deeper into the knowledge banks from around the world. As part of this challenge for myself, I’m collecting little nuggets from what I am reading. Once a week, I am posting my top quotes on Instagram. I encourage you to follow along to see what I’m gathering.
To give you a taste of what I’m reading and sharing, last week and today, I am going to share a selection of those quotes and a few thoughts on them. These are in no particular order because I’m unsure which I like best.
Spirituality
The assumption of spirituality is that always God is doing something before I know it. So the task is not to get God to do something I think needs to be done, but to become aware of what God is doing so that I can respond to it and participate and take delight in it.
-Eugene Peterson
The Contemplative Pastor
I have a confession to make. I am a pastor, but have never been “good” at prayer. It’s always been a challenge for me. This year is one of KNOWLEDGE, so I’m reading a book on prayer (with another in the queue). The book is by Tyler Staton (see the quote below from him), and it has helped me reframe my view on what it means to pray.
If I could sum it up in one thought, prayer is exactly what you are thinking and more…way more.
Eugene Peterson’s quote is a perfect example of this. When I frame prayer as positioning myself to become aware of what God is doing and then arrange myself to be in a place to act accordingly, it frees me. I’m not fighting to move God, but I’m patiently listening to move myself when the time is right.
However, prayer is more than just listening. It constantly petitions God, silence, solitude, gratitude, and prayer for the lost.
Prayer is also confession.
Confession
The desperate need of our time is not for successful Christians, popular Christians, or winsome Christians, it's for deep Christians. And the only way to become a deep Christian is through the inner excavation called confession. The pathway of spiritual maturity is a descent, not an ascent. A maturing community is a confessing community- not a church without sin, but a church without secrets.
-Tyler Stanton
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools
Last week, I shared a quote from Tim Keller about the mindset of service to the culture around us. It speaks to our natural quest for power. As followers of Jesus, we are called to release our desire for power and control. Confession is a doorway to humility.
Making another confession, I want to be successful, popular, and winsome. I mean, I really want it. I would love to be deep, but I’m hesitant about all the work that goes along with depth.
Anyone else feel the same?
Confession is twofold — inward and outward. First, we must do the inward work with God to allow His Spirit to illuminate the areas in our lives that need to be exposed to His light. Second, when appropriate, we must drag those things out for others to see.
There is no end to this two-part process of confession.
I’ve shared before the story of my college professor (in his 80s) who shared that the Christian walk wasn’t easier but harder as he aged. Confession is one of the reasons the Christian walk doesn’t get easier. I am constantly dealing with ugly areas of my life I was blind to, but my hope is to hold onto the redemption Jesus promises in my weakness. Ironically, it gives me and the church (big ‘C’ church) power.
No one wants to be around a group of people who act as if they have no need for the Jesus they push on everyone else. Confession reminds me I am desperate for the hope Jesus brought 2000 years ago.
But this deep work also delivers another gift — wisdom. The church needs wisdom today, because…
Wisdom.
I grew up a Christian kid in a Christian home who only listened to Contemporary Christian Music. One of the artists on repeat (well, kinda because by repeat, I mean putting on a record, flipping the record to side two, and then repeating) was Russ Taff.
Russ Taff was first a member of a group called the Imperials and then a solo artist. He won five Grammys and multiple more Dove Awards (the Christian music version of a Grammy), winning his first Grammy at 24 years old. Russ Taff had loads and loads of success, but he was a secret alcoholic. He’s been sober for the last twenty years and recently went on the No Small Endeavors podcast to share about his life.
Russ Taff grew up in a very fundamental, Pentecostal church culture. His father was also an alcoholic, whose alcoholism led to the expulsion of multiple churches over the years. Unfortunately, the expulsion wasn’t just for his father but the whole family. In this interview, Taff had this to say about these churches and people:
They loved Jesus but lacked wisdom.
-Russ Taff
Taff’s story is both heartbreaking and encouraging. He overcame so many odds to find success and purpose. It shouldn’t have been so hard for him, though.
The world needs people who love Jesus AND are full of wisdom. We need more Christians who are willing to do deep work. We need more prayer, confession, solitude, self-control, knowledge, and wisdom.
Work
Fifteen years ago, TED released a video by Simon Sinek called Start with Why, which has received 12 million views and counting. A few years later, based on the success of that video, Sinek followed up with a book called Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Both the book and the video share the same premise—people don’t respond to the what or how you do what or how you do something. People respond to the why.
Why do you do what you do?
The companies and people who do this best have the most dedicated followers. If you want proof of concept, look no further than Apple, Martin Luther King, Southwest Airlines, or Donald Trump. You don’t have to agree or like what a great leader or organization is selling to appreciate that their message is landing. The best clearly define why they are doing, selling, or producing it, and this has created legions of dedicated followers.
It doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Winning hearts…takes more work.
-Simon Sinek
I’ll remind you that you are a leader. You are leading someone else in one or more areas of your life. The most effective way to lead is by winning the hearts of those you are leading, but it is much more work. Sinek spends his time concentrating on the business world, but you have to look no further than your home to see that this is true.
When my children were young, I had the power to simply make them obey, but if I was able to win their hearts, I was much more effective. Blind obedience is much easier to achieve as a parent or leader, but the long-term results aren’t healthy.
What Are You Hearing?
This is a shortened version of what I posted on Instagram a few weeks ago. I shared a few other quotes, so I encourage you to look. I’d also love to know what you hear, read, or listen to. What quote is pricking your heart?
Would you consider sharing it in a comment so everyone can read it?