By Joe LaGuardia
Today, I put together a Bible study on Spiritual Reading. This is not the first time I’ve done this; its been dozens of times. Yet, when I come across the books I use to cobble together a lesson, I am always profoundly impacted by what I forget–especially regarding the power of spiritual formation.
This is from M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., author of Shaped by the Word:
Spiritual formation is the life-long process of growth into the image of Christ…Every event of life is an experience of spiritual formation. Every action taken, every response made, every dynamic of relationship, every thought held, every emotion allowed: These are the arenas where, bit by bit, infinitesimal piece by infinitesimal piece, we are shaped into some kind of being” (Mulholland, 26).
We forget that everything plays a part in our spiritual formation, whether for good or ill. Mulholland writes further:
We are being shaped either toward wholeness of the image of Christ or toward a horribly destructive caricature of that image.”
That means that there is no innocent of neutral factor that plays itself out in our life.
What is shaping you today?
Is social media shaping you today?
Is the nightly news shaping you today?
Is the world’s brokenness shaping you today?
Is despair shaping you today?
Or…
Is God’s Word shaping you today?
Is the Good News of the Gospel–and its call to be on mission for God–shaping you today?
Is the world’s beauty and creativity shaping you today?
Is joy and gratitude shaping you today?
Only you can answer these questions. Bring everything under the lordship of Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge God, and God will make straight your paths.”
Baptist Spirituality 