The title sounds like an oxymoron. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges is a guide for the balancing act all Christ-followers must perform: committing to the necessary spiritual discipline activity that requires our human effort and submitting to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit—requiring our inactivity. How to thrive and strive simultaneously? Bridges deftly handles these seemingly incompatible ends by illustrating and explaining the relevant Bible passages—primarily Paul’s letter to the Romans—encouraging Christians to “preach the gospel to themselves everyday.” The amazing grace that saves us at the moment of conversion is the same grace we count on to mold us into the image of Christ.
In order to determine the reader’s understanding of God’s unmerited favor to us, the author asks the reader to consider two scenarios: one in which we have a “good day” (up early, solid devotional time, vital union with God) and one in which we have a “bad day” (snooze button tapping, rushing out the door without a quiet time, generally ignoring the Lord). If at the end of each day we encountered someone eager to hear about making a decision to accept Christ for the first time, in which scenario would we feel more confident of the Holy Spirit’s presence as we witness? The good day or the bad day? Choosing either means we need this book!