My Introduction to Spiritual Formation

Weekend before last I participated in a virtual weekend conference around spiritual formation. I had heard of spiritual formation before but it’s a new concept to me. In my experience with Christ so far, my walk has been me trying to abstain from the flesh and striving to connect with my God.

I would sit down in the mornings forcing myself to spend time with him. I would read the words from the Bible but not understand them. I would pray but not feel his presence.

I was trying to make it happen through my own strength and willpower.

That’s hard to do.

After the weekend I learned some important principles and practices that have given me a small taste of what a different relationship with the Lord is like.

What is Spiritual Formation?

Spiritual formation is the process of being conformed to Christ’s image.

The Holy Spirit leads and guides through scripture which is the basis of truth. As the mind gets comfortable spending more time contemplating scripture and letting in ruminate, the Holy Spirit will work within the heart. His work will remove any parts that are not of Him and replace it with His own heart.

It’s also best to have a spiritual director guide you through the process. I’m part of a small community and a group of us are going through spiritual formation practices together. The enemy can attack, distract, and distort any thinking of ours. He does not want us to be closer to Christ and will work against us.

A spiritual director can advise and help filter out unbiblical lies and un-truths.

Spiritual Formation History

Spiritual formation is not new. There are new systems and practices, but meditating on scripture and contemplating the Lord is not new. It’s hundreds of years old.

Teresa of Ávila was a theologian of contemplative prayer and wrote The Interior Castle in the 1500’s. It’s an exploration of the stages of spiritual development. Each interior castle represents a different stage.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was also a Spanish theologian who wrote a set of meditations and prayers called the Spiritual Exercises in the 1500’s. They’re written to take you through weeks of prayers, practices, and meditations on scripture.

What is Imaginative Prayer?

I won’t pretend that I’m very far down this path at all. It’s all new to me and I’m learning that it’s a lifelong process that is learned and never completely achieved.

But I will mention one experience I had.

I was with a mentor of mine discussing the spiritual dryness I was experiencing. He asked me to spend a few minutes and ask the Lord what I felt He was leading me in to.

I saw for a few minutes with my eyes closed. Then the Lord gave me a picture of a dinner table in my mind. I felt he was saying ‘Come to the table’.

My heart felt he was inviting me to have communion and relationship with him. Coming to the table represented entering in to relationship with Him. Sitting and eating a meal with the Lord represented being with Him and spending more time with Him.

He was inviting me in to a deeper relationship.

I felt it in my hart. I felt the desire He had for me to be with Him. That image and feeling has turned in to the spark I’ve longed for to enter in to a deeper relationship with Him.

That was my first taste of imaginative prayer.

As a very logical and left brained thinker, my brain will understand concepts but my heart won’t understand. My brain can understand what Paul is talking about in Ephesians. But my heart has never experienced it, so I don’t fully know in my heart what Paul is talking about.

Imaginative prayer has the ability to bypass my logical brain and make an imprint on my heart. Visualizing or imagining a biblical scene transports me to the moment. With the help of the Holy Spirit, my heart can then feel what is happening and intuit the heart of the message.

When I read scripture with my brain, my mind understands it. But when I slow down and read scripture with my heart, it begins to change me. It’s the sanctification process happening. The Holy Spirit will identify those parts of me that are not of Him and replace with Him.

It’s a powerful experience that has begun to change me.

What are Spiritual Disciplines?

Spiritual disciplines are the practices used during the formation process. I’m learning to use these during my daily time with the Lord. It’s been hard for me to force myself to read the Bible. My mind starts wandering, thinking of other things, and just reading for the sake of reading it. I was missing a lot. I’m learning that these disciplines are more fruitful for me.

Lectio Divina is reading scripture and giving some time for your mind to quiet itself and listen if the Lord is focusing you on any one part. I’ve found it helps if I read a sentence at a time and then sit and listen for a few minutes. Then read the next sentence or two.

Imaginative Prayer is picturing yourself in a scene of the scripture. Place yourself there, see the scene, the people, sounds, smells, and then experiencing in your mind what is happening. This can be very vivid for me and helps me to experience the scripture.

Contemplative Prayer is still new to me. It’s difficult because my mind wanders with this one. But it focuses on quieting your mind to focus on either scripture, the Lord, or an aspect of Him. Sit for a period of time and let the Spirit lead you where he will.

Again, I’m still learning this one but I’m sure it will get easier with time.

What’s next?

I’m putting these disciplines in to my daily walk with the Lord. I hope to enter in to new relationship with Him and experience a deeper, more meaningful relationship. I don’t think I can truly love others the way He loves them unless I love Him with all my heart and soul first.

In order to do that, I need to open the eyes of my heart.

Hopefully this is a good introduction to the spiritual formation practices. It’s not an in-depth guide but a basic introduction to hopefully stir some excitement in you for what is possible in the Lord.

God bless and may you grow in Him!