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If you’re a Christian and you want to be more like Christ, you need to know about spiritual formation.
I hadn’t heard of Spiritual Formation until I went to graduate school for Pastoral Counseling. We spent an entire semester talking about what Spiritual Formation is and why it matters, but I’m going to try to explain it in about 800 words. (wish me luck! lol)
I think the best place to start is with a quote by Dallas Willard. Willard is one of those really smart old guys who has already passed on and left a legacy of loving Christ and loving others behind him. During his time on earth, Dallas Willard was a Christian philosopher who spent years writing about Spiritual Formation. This is one of my favorite quotes from his website:
Spiritual formation in the tradition of Jesus Christ is the process of transformation of the inmost dimension of the human being, the heart, which is the same as the spirit or will. It is being formed (really, transformed) in such a way that its natural expression comes to be the deeds of Christ done in the power of Christ.
Like most things that smart old guys say, I had to read that a few times to understand it, so I’ll rephrase for you:
For a Christian, spiritual formation is all about our hearts being transformed so that we naturally look and act more like Christ.
Now you might be thinking, that’s great, but why is it so important for me to know about spiritual formation?
Because it’s natural to experience spiritual formation, but the direction we head in is up to us. Here’s what you need to know…
Spiritual Formation isn’t Just for Christians
It’s easy to assume that spiritual formation is a Christian thing, but it’s not just for Christians. Everyone is on a spiritual journey because everyone is a spiritual being. God doesn’t just hand out souls to the people who believe in Him. We have been forming spiritually from the minute we were born. If you’re a Christian, your journey didn’t begin or end when you became a Christian, it simply changed direction. You essentially said, “I want to go towards Christ and become more like Him.”
But, we do not have to be formed like Christ. There is the possibility of going the wrong way and being formed to something other than Christ. If you’re wondering whether you’re headed towards Him, start by looking at who or what you worship.
The Direction of Our Spiritual Formation Depends on What We Worship
If we aren’t worshiping Christ, whatever we are worshiping is pointing us away from Him.
Romans 12:2 tells us:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)
What we worship changes us. As an example, let’s say you follow a lot of supermodels on Instagram. You spend a lot of time looking at their profiles, images, and videos, comparing your body to theirs. You might even start dieting and exercising the way they do in an attempt to look like them. Whether you realize it or not, you are worshiping these supermodels, the idea of having a supermodel-like body or the lifestyle they portray. You have redirected yourself towards a goal other than Christ.
Everything that we say, think, and do changes the direction of our spiritual compass. If we are not constantly setting Christ as our north star, we are going to find ourselves conforming to the ways of this world, not to Christ. Note that in the example, the lifestyle changes that were made weren’t necessarily spiritual. That’s because we aren’t just spiritual beings; we are physical, emotional and relational beings too.
Spiritual Formation Happens in the Whole Person
We are whole beings, made up of physical, emotional, relational and spiritual pieces. All of these pieces of who we are interact and react with each other. There isn’t much room to expand on this concept here, but essentially, we can’t just feed ourselves spiritually and call it a day. Our ability to become more like Christ is limited to how we pursue Him with our whole being: mind, body, heart, and soul.
I had a professor tell me once that if Satan can’t attack your soul, he will attack your body, your mind, or your relationships. When we suffer in one area, it’s easy to take us down spiritually. We have to guard and care for our whole being by surrendering all of who we are to Christ.
So…what now?
My goal is to help women become more like Christ by guiding their journey of spiritual formation toward Him. If that’s something you’re interested in, I highly recommend signing up for my email newsletter. I deliver weekly content, encouragement and resources to your inbox to help you with your spiritual growth. Or check out my Coaching page if you want to learn more about what I do.
I hope you find help for your spiritual formation journey! If there is anything I can do, don’t hesitate to contact me :)
P.S. 870 words was the best I could do ;) I’ll take it!
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