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 The topic of “spiritual formation” is in renaissance of late as an aging generation of believers within the church ask themselves, “Why don't we look much different than non-believers in the fruit of our lives? Isn't God able to actually change the way we think and behave; or was there more to the deal than saying 'the sinner's prayer', attending 'church' weekly (that is, weakly) and waiting for the Rapture?”As it turns out, there is much more to transformation than waiting passively for the character of Christ to show up in one's personality. Sanctification is a mutual effort shared between the Divine and humanity. And as for the human side, it involves an unpopular quality called “discipline.” The writer of Hebrews recognizes the PR problem that discipline has when he writes (12:11), “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.” He is talking, of course, about external discipline, like the remedial actions that a parent takes with a child who has gone astray. No child seeks it; but at some future date, we all admit that discipline was good for us. Internally initiated discipline, that is, self-discipline, can also appear unpleasant at first. But the patterns of life that self-imposed discipline produces are the same sweet fruit that the author of Hebrews describes: “producing a harvest of righteousness and peace.” And when those patterns of life take root, well, then the disciple sees the disciplines themselves in a much more positive light. As for the Divine side of sanctification, that's where the power of transformation works. Spiritual disciplines are the activities and attitudes a disciple chooses to embrace that provide the environment in which the Spirit of Truth may be pleased to transform the disciple's mind and heart – moving them toward the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. There is no definitive list of “The Disciplines,” but transformed believers through the last two millennia have testified to the things they have done to enable the Spirit's work within them. Their lists are remarkably similar: prayer (on every list), meditation on the Word of God, fasting, service, worship, confession... and the list goes on. Most of these things are obvious, expected and conspicuously absent from the liturgy of our daily lives. And so, we do not see transformation. “A woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you!' He (Jesus) replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.'” Do it... Discipline. So, what am I not doing that if I consistently did, would create the work-space in my life for the Holy Spirit to make my mind and heart like Jesus'? Let's look at some of these things in the weeks to come. |
