The Discipline of Repentance and Renewal

Here is #9 of my "Ten Disciplines for Living Downstream from Eden" –

The Discipline of Repentance and Renewal

A young man from Pakistan sat down beside me on a plane last night. Intelligent and interested in talking, he had serious questions about the Christian faith. He is very convinced and serious about his own faith which requires him today to fast from sunrise to sunset.

We discussed the month-long ritual of Ramadan which begins today. My friend explained that for him it is a kind of personal jihad against pride and selfishness, a public recognition that we are all sinners and a spiritual discipline designed to help him become a better person.