A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser
Week 9: Chapter 8 — The Quickening of the Spirit
Read Chapter 8 of A Grace Disguised.
Previewing Week 9 of A Grace Disguised
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
Sittser explores how suffering, rather than extinguishing spiritual life, can paradoxically deepen and quicken it — but only when we allow it to.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Sittser writes about a "quickening" of the spirit — a deepening of spiritual awareness and sensitivity — that came to him through grief. How would you describe that in your own words? Have you ever experienced anything like it?
2.He reflects on how loss stripped away spiritual superficiality — the comfortable assumptions, the easy formulas — and left him with a faith that was leaner but more real. What spiritual habits, beliefs, or assumptions have you held that you suspect might be more comfort than conviction?
3.Sittser observes that the mystics and saints throughout church history often spoke of a "dark night of the soul" — a season of spiritual desolation that, when endured, led to a deeper intimacy with God. How does his experience connect with that tradition? Does knowing that others have been there before help?