By: Giovanna Meek (Coracle Intern, Summer 2016)

“Spiritual Formation” often gets a bad rap: considered some new age, non-Christ-centered effort or, alternatively, raised to the level of the most important aspect of a Christian’s life, but to be pursued in an individualistic way, as though it is a solo mission to become closer to God.  So, let’s bring some clarity into the conversation and help give Spiritual Formation the reputation it deserves!  Robert Mulholland, Jr, will be our guide, as he has been for countless people.  He defines Spiritual Formation as a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.  A simple and profound definition.  But, one with teeth.  And in his primer on the subject, Invitation to a Journey, Mulholland puts some meat on the bones of this fourfold definition of Spiritual Formation.

1.  A process — It is not merely due to “the Fall” that we are broken, but we continue on a daily basis to fall short of God’s intention for us as his creation.  Thus, we are in need of his grace, mercy, and love repeatedly, over a period of time.  Spiritual Formation is a lifelong process of growth towards wholeness in Christ.  And, the best news is that you’re already in the process!  Mulholland says, “Spiritual shaping is a primal reality of human existence.  Everyone is in a process of spiritual formation!”  God created us, Christ dwells in us, and the Holy Spirit continues to influence us whether we recognize it or not.  God is at work.   But, the Christian can intentionally choose to be committed to this process of “growing up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph 4:15), until we “attain to… mature personhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13).

2.  Of being conformed — We tend to be more focused on doing than being in our modern culture.  Thus, it may seem counterintuitive to live into a position of being conformed by God.  Here, we are called to let go of control and give it to God.  Mulholland describes this as learning to yield the self to God and discovering where God will take you.  This firmly plants Spiritual Formation in the relationship between the person and God.  The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness demonstrated that Jesus was unwilling to “do” something to prove the relationship he has with God.  He chose to just BE who He is, rather than DO something.  “Our relationship with God, not our doing, is the source of our being” (Mulholland).  Jesus warns that he will consider “evildoers” and say “I never knew you” (Mt 7:23) to those who focus only on doing works, even prophesying and casting out demons, if they don’t also have a relationship with God.  Whether we consider God as the potter and we as the clay (Old Testament) or God as the vine and we as the branches (New Testament), we are in the position of being formed, grown, developed, and given life by God.

3.  To the image of Christ — The process of being conformed has a trajectory towards becoming like Christ.  As CS Lewis says: “every Christian is to become a little Christ.”  After God adopts us as his children (Eph 1:5), he begins the work of helping us become like Jesus.  “We all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness” (2 Cor 3:18) “until we all attain…the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13).  This is all a process of “being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator” (Col 3:9-10).  In the beginning, God created mankind in his own image (Gen 1:27), mankind turned away from God and marred the image, God became incarnate – the image came to life in Jesus, and now, through Spiritual Formation, God is in the process of conforming us to the image of his Son (Rom 8:29).  The image of Christ is renewal, healing of brokenness, restoration… in a word: wholeness.

4.  For the sake of others — Mulholland explains that the culmination of the purpose of Spiritual Formation is to become what God created us to be: in relationship with God and others.  Jesus emphasized the command to “love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Mk 12:30-31) and the New Testament repeatedly shows that loving the neighbor is foundational to being a Christian (Rom 13:9-10, 1 Cor 13, Gal 5:14, Eph 4:15-16, Col 3:14, 1 Thess 4:9-10, etc.).  Except that this is of utmost importance, it should not have to be said, considering if we are formed into the image of Christ, we are, by default, “for the sake of others.”  Christ lived and died for the sake of others.  As God continues to form us, let us check our “spiritual progress” through the fruits we bear in our relationships with others.  For Spiritual Formation occurs in and through relationships, not apart from them.

While Mulholland’s definition is very helpful, my prayer regarding Spiritual Formation has become based on one short bit of Scripture, John 15:9.  “Abide in My Love.”  If there is any “action” I’m to take, if there’s any “thing” I’m to do to allow and encourage the work of the Lord in me – to the love, care, and benefit of others – it is to abide in the love of Jesus.

Jesus, thank you for the crazy amazing invitation to abide in your love.  Please help me to accept this invitation and to grow more and more open to being at home in You.  As you dwell in me, may I dwell in you.

To abide in the love of Jesus sounds simple, but it, too, is a lifelong process.  And, for now, I find it to be the most important “first effort” to make in actively participating in the Spiritual Formation that is already underway in my life… an effort to be in the love of Christ, an effort to abide in Him, an effort to allow God to control my life, an effort to receive the Love of Christ.