A couple of weeks ago I finished John Ortberg’s The Me I Want To Be. I LOVE this book. It got me thinking, brought clarity to the cloudiness, answered questions I didn’t know I was asking, and offered peace to replace some of my stirring. My copy is all marked-up with underlines and notes of promptings that need to be further explored. To force myself to do the hard work and dig into some of the dark corners of my soul, I’ve asked my extra-small group if we can read and discuss. I am so grateful that they agreed. This morning as I flipped back through the book, this passage stood out:
God has existed from eternity – but he has never had a relationship with you before. He wants to do a new thing with you. The problem many people face when it comes to spiritual growth is that they listen to someone they thing of as an expert – maybe the pastor of their church – talk about what he does, and think that is what they are supposed to do. When it doesn’t work for them – because they are a different person – they feel guilty and inadequate; they often give up.
God has a plan for the me he wants me to be. It will not look exactly like his plan for anyone else, which means it will take freedom and exploration for me to learn how God wants to grow in me. Spiritual growth is hand-crafted, not mass-produced. God does not do “one-size-fits-all.”
He goes on to say:
A spiritual discipline is simply an activity you engage in to be made more fully alive by the Spirit of Life.
So I’m curious, what do you that makes you feel most fully alive?
Here are a few of mine:
Going to hear a great singer-songwriter perform at an intimate setting
An impromptu afternoon drive with my windows down, music blaring
Sunday mornings at Cross Point (and the inevitable long lunch afterwards)
Spending time investing in (or being just plain silly with) my nieces and other favorite kids
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