Restful Journey

When I do something to impress others, I reveal that I live out of a core set of ideas that I believe will advance my reputation if I pursue them. These ideas may spring from my personal longings or those established by society—governing ideas highly regarded by family, friends, strangers I meet at retreats or speaking engagements, and the culture at large.  But in my pursuit of these ideas (such as the appearance of being in control), I am not trusting that the Lord is my Shepherd and that God provides everything I need—including the reputation I deserve. From a kingdom perspective, the ideas I’ve adopted—powerful as they may be—are deceptions.  Our versions of these ideas are often a mystery to us and may have little to do with what we profess to believe. We’re not being deceitful—we simply don’t realize what our core ideas are. One way to discover them is to look backward at one of our behaviors, choices, or responses to someone and ask, What does this tell me ...

IDEAS: FROM DARK TO LIGHT - Two of the most powerful facets in the realm of thought are ideas and images. Ideas are ways of thinking about and interpreting things. They are so essential to how we approach life that we often do not understand when and how ideas are at work.  Our idea system grows up with us from childhood out of the teachings, expectations, and behaviors of family and community. People are often so far in the grip of ideas that they can’t be bothered to think. They don’t know what moves them, but ideas govern them and have their consequences anyway.  Examples of ideas are freedom, education, happiness, “the American Dream,” the feminine or masculine, and so on. To see ideas in action, look closely at artistic endeavors, especially movies and music, which encapsulate most of pop culture, and at efforts to persuade, especially politics and commercials.  Look, for example, at the place freedom, a major idea now, plays in automobile ads and rock l...

The idea that our first freedom is where we put our mind is a fundamental one that can guide our lives. For example, I was ruled by self-pity for many years and saw myself as the victim of others. The change in my thinking occurred as I began putting my mind elsewhere—on God as an abiding presence in my life, conscious that just maybe the Lord really is my Shepherd today and I just might have everything I need.  When I understand that my first freedom is where I place my mind, I examine what I’ve been dwelling on the last few minutes. Regarding a certain person, what thoughts have I had about him or her? I have alternatives now.  -I can change my thoughts and bless that person, especially if he or she is difficult for me in some way.  -I can focus my mind on praying for that person.  -I can ask God to guide me in some way to help that person.  This idea also makes use of the VIM (Vision-Intention-Means) pattern. Where I put my mind creates my vision...

OUR FIRST FREEDOM - The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow our mind to dwell upon. There the light of God first moves upon us through the Word of Christ, and there the Divine Spirit begins to direct our will to thoughts that help us realign ourselves with God and his way.  By thoughts we mean memories, perceptions, and beliefs, as well as what we would ordinarily refer to when we say, “I thought of you yesterday.” When we constantly and thoughtfully engage ourselves with the ideas, images, and information that are provided by God through the Scriptures, his Son Jesus, and the lives and experiences of his people through the ages, we are nourished by the Holy Spirit in ways far beyond our own efforts or understanding. This transforms our entire life.  All that enters our mind, and especially the thoughts that first come to mind as we encounter people and events, will be healthy, godly, and good. The conclusions we jump...

As we become more and more enthralled by the vision of the kingdom of God, it follows that we want to be shaped by God and so live life more intentionally. We start making small plans and taking tentative steps for this change. With God’s grace drawing us along, we arrange our lives differently.  We give up certain activities because we want time to do things we’re reasonably sure will help reshape us. Here and there, we give up a shopping trip, doing without an item we thought we needed (frugality), because we’d rather reread a book that really spoke to us (study and meditation). We intentionally take stationery with us to the doctor’s office so that as we sit in the waiting room we can jot a note to our friend’s son who is in jail, instead of reading whatever magazines happen to be there (service). We make a little effort to arrive at church early to greet that stranger who’s been sitting alone at the back of the sanctuary (welcoming strangers).  We aren’t heroi...

VIM: MEANS - The V ision and solid I ntention to obey Christ will naturally lead us to seek out and apply the M eans to that end. We have rich resources for these means in the example and teachings of Jesus, in the Scriptures, and in his people. Through such means, the inner character of the “lost” person is replaced with the inner character of Jesus: his vision, understanding, feelings, decisions, and character.  When my neighbor who has triumphed over me in the past now stands before me with a need I can remedy, I will not be able to do the good thing on the spot if my inner being is filled with thoughts, feelings, and habits that characterize the ruined soul.  If I intend to obey Jesus Christ, I must find the means of changing my inner being until it is substantially like his, pervasively characterized by his thoughts, feelings, habits, and relationship with the Father.  When not on the spot, I can retrain my thinking by study and meditation on Christ hims...

A certain fatalism in our culture convinces us that inner change is not likely to occur. We say such things as, “That’s just the way I am.” We even urge ourselves and others to accept this and be done with it.  Perhaps we do this in place of beating ourselves up, which is a destructive habit many Christians have. But recognizing and accepting one’s current condition is only a place to start—a valuable preliminary step.  There is hope! Now that I see who I really am—lazy, moody, or pretentious—what am I to do next? What is the way forward? These are questions we ask of God and perhaps also of a friend or spiritual director. God will surely give us direction—small, ingenious ideas that will change us on the inside.  TODAY’S EXPERIMENT -  Reflect upon what has perhaps blocked your intentions toward spiritual formation: You don’t have an adequate vision of life in God’s kingdom. You haven’t seriously examined what Jesus said and did, so that you can attempt ...