Piece by Piece
We moved into our new house almost a year ago and I’m still not finished with all the decorating. After eleven months, our bedroom consists of four very stark-white, empty walls. The horizontal blinds hang in curtain-less windows. The wall behind our living room couch is as bare as winter, just like all the other undecorated spaces throughout the house.
I wish I was one who had an interior design plan all laid out and perfectly executed within a month of moving in. However, this isn’t what happened. Instead, I took my time and worked on one room, then another. The areas which are complete turned out beautifully, but even so, each step took time. Painting. Wallpapering. Installing molding. Waiting months for furniture to be ordered and delivered. Piece by piece, it’s slowly coming together.
I wonder if this is also true for our spiritual formation? We don’t suddenly become spiritually mature after making a decision to follow Jesus. There are so many things He wants to teach us: how to pray, how to read the Bible, how to be a giver of compassion and grace. How to walk in humility, meekness, and forgiveness. We can’t possibly know how to do this all at once. It’s a life-long journey where we are gradually transformed into His likeness. Piece by piece.
Spiritual formation is a pilgrimage that leads us deeper into the heart of God. With open hands and open hearts, we intentionally partner with God, allowing Him to do the work we alone cannot do: transformation the innermost places of our hearts and minds. What we can and must do is actively participle in spiritual disciplines that present the best opportunities for God to change us from the inside out. By spending time in prayer, Bible study, and worship, all within the context of community, we eventually become transformed. Piece by piece.
This is a course of life that mustn’t be rushed. It can’t be rushed. It takes time for us to study and know the character of God. As we travel deeper and deeper into God’s heart and experience His kindness and compassion, we learn we can trust Him no matter what; even when our circumstances might be telling us a different story.
Once we learn He is trustworthy, we can acknowledge the areas of our hearts that need to be offered up for healing and restoration. The areas deep in our souls that keep us from living in true freedom are often hard to identify until they suddenly and un-expectedly come bubbling up to the top of our consciousness. When they do, it takes vulnerability to place them at the foot of the cross, handing them over to Jesus, piece by piece.
Through spiritual disciplines, we hear Him speaking to us. His voice is rarely loud and audible to the naked ear. It’s a quiet stirring of the Holy Spirit that quickens our breathing. It’s a word of scripture that pops off the page and right into our life. It’s the “aha” moment when the lightbulb turns on and suddenly, we are overtaken by a fresh understanding; something we’ve never even noticed before, about ourselves and others. Our thoughts, beliefs and values become more aligned with God’s character. Piece by piece, we are transformed.
I’d like to invite you to join me as I embark on a new adventure. I’m reading “Sensible Shoes” by Sharon Garlough Brown. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this book is a fictional tale which chronicles four women as they journey towards spiritual formation. In each of these characters, we find a little bit of ourselves. When we relate to their fears and flaws; doubts and insecurities, we feel as though we’re walking this pilgrimage along with them, learning how to find God in the midst of our lives, as they find Him in the midst of theirs. Let’s read their story and take a similar journey along with them, shall we? Not all at once. Just piece by piece!
What about you?
If you decide to read this book, please leave a comment in the comment section. I’d love to hear more about your experience as you embark on your own spiritual formation journey.
If you’re already participating in spiritual disciplines, I’d love to hear how they bring you closer to God.
If there’s a particular time when you had an ‘aha’ moment, please share it.
Participating in spiritual disciplines takes time and intentionality. Looking at your schedule, when can you make time to consistently meet with God? Write it into your schedule and just do it!
