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Spiritual Formation: the way of disciplined grace
We are in the midst of learning about spiritual disciplines on Monday nights -- things like meditation, prayer, fasting, Bible study.
"Why so important?" you ask.
The disciplines that we are talking about are those actions that allow the spirit of God to do a work in us. By themselves, they can do nothing; they can only help to put us in a place where God can do something, and that something is to still us, transform us and renew us.
Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline, speaks of it as "the way of disciplined grace. It is grace because it is free; it is disciplined because there is something for us to do."
So last week we discussed meditation and got a chance to practice it a little. How did it go this week? Did you find a place where you can be quiet? Did you find a posture that is comfortable for you as you center the attention of your body, emotions, mind and spirit on the One who is your creator? Did you silence yourself long enough to commune with God?
It's hard, isn't it? We are just so busy. Our enemies are "muchness" and "manyness," and if they succeed we will never know the joy of silence with our maker.
Author Henri Nouwen says it like this:
It is hard to leave our people, our job,
and the hectic places where we are needed
in order to be with the One
from whom all good things come.
But when we do we can unmask the illusion
of busyness, usefulness, and indispensability.
It is a way of being empty
and useless in the presence of God
and of proclaiming our basic belief that all is grace
and nothing is simply the result of hard work.
Henri Nouwen, The Living Reminder
"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and in trust shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15
I want to experience more of what that really means in the days to come. Are you with me?
Greg |
