Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
Week 8: Chapter 7 — A Rule of Life: Cultivating Rhythms for Spiritual Transformation
Read Chapter 7 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3; John 15:4-5.
Previewing Week 8 of Sacred Rhythms
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 9-week guide when you’re ready.
This final chapter draws the six previous disciplines together into a practical, personal framework — a 'rule of life' — that allows transformation to happen not occasionally but consistently. Come ready to begin drafting your own.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.The term 'rule of life' comes from the Latin regula, meaning a straight edge or guide — not a rigid set of laws, but a trellis on which the soul's growth can be supported. How does this metaphor reframe what a rule of life is and what it is not?
2.Barton uses the image of a tree planted by streams of water (Psalm 1) as a picture of what a well-ordered spiritual life looks like — rooted, fruitful, and not anxiously dependent on circumstances. What does your current spiritual 'root system' look like? Where are you drawing nourishment, and where are your roots shallow?
3.She distinguishes between a rule of life that is aspirational (what you wish you were doing) and one that is realistic (what is actually sustainable in your current season). What is the danger of an aspirational rule that is disconnected from your real life?
a.Looking at the seven disciplines explored in this book, which two or three do you sense are most important to prioritize in the next season of your life?
b.What would a specific, realistic commitment to those practices look like — in terms of frequency, duration, and structure?