Spiritual formation is the process of forming the inner world of our lives such that it becomes like the inner life of Christ Himself. Christ’s intention for the church is for it to serve as a remnant and lineage of people formed in this way, for us to be people whose inner lives shine outward with the love of Christ in a way that others see.
This formation, this discipleship is the reason we come together. We see Paul address this in Colossians 1, where he promises that “God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
In Galatians 4, Paul compares this to the formation of the child in the womb. Ruth Haley Barton writes, “I cannot transform myself, or anyone else for that matter. What I can do is create the conditions in which spiritual transformation can take place, by developing and maintaining a rhythm of spiritual practices that keep me open and available to God.”
We often want to see this as multi-step linear process within a set timetable, but that is not really how it works. The starting point for our spiritual formation process is to become a disciple of Jesus. We can get a glimpse of this through the beginning of the discipleship of Simon, Andrew and other disciples in John 1, Matthew 4 and Matthew 9.
These are very different cases but very similar beginnings. Whether disciples of another rabbi, fishermen or tax collectors, Jesus simple instruction was clear: “follow me.” Leave what you are doing, and go where I go.
The Greek word for disciple is an apprentice, one that generally lived in the proximity of their master or rabbi, to follow them. They would learn from them and eventually imitate them. Jesus original disciples were directly in this mode.
But they had the incarnate Christ right there. How do we, today, in this place follow Jesus in this way? First, we do have the Word of God, the teachings of Christ, instructions to His church, and the Law and the Prophets that came before. We are to live in community, committing our lives to Christ by way of committing our lives to one another. We have the witness and learning of previous generations.
And most importantly we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The most important step we can take is intentionally moving towards an every increasing awareness and connection to the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as a helper that would be with us forever. In John 14, he says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
In the next Chapter he speaks in a metaphor of what this looks like – to “abide,” to remain, to live, and specifically in the person of Christ. Jesus gives us access to the safest place we could possibly live in, a place we are created for. We are invited to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit at all times and for all time.
Brother Laurence writes that “the time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament. “
Within our lives, what commonplace activity can at prepare for this week that we can prepare for beforehand when we can practice the act of abiding? When can we acknowledge and be aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit? And is there a new rhythm that would develop a helpful habit of practicing the presence of God during your day?
-Sermon Notes, Brian Eastland, Mosaic Church North, Edmonds, WA, February 13, 2021