This is the end of the chapter in my new book (the one I am writing now) on nurturing your soul.
Spiritual formation requires something of us. It requires discipline. In fact, ongoing practices that help nurture spiritual formation are called disciplines. They are things you do intentionally and repeatedly that help be a little more like Jesus. This whole section of the book is about those practices and how they can be updated and applied to life, so they have meaning.
I have no idea what form these practices may take to help you nurture your soul. I just know they can help. Find your own expressions, and, well, practice them. Don’t outsource it to a church, or a program. One size does not fit all. Find what works for you.
The first thing most Christians would think of concerning spiritual formation is usually Bible study. There is great value to understanding the Bible, in a big picture sort of way that gives you an overview of this record of the interaction between God and man throughout human history. Also, there are wonderful lessons to be grasped from studying various smaller sections of the scriptures. You will also nd things that are difficult to understand and reconcile, but understanding the Bible will inform your life.
My great concern is the way that knowledge about the Bible makes some people arrogant.
The key to spiritual formation is Jesus. Examine his life, and not just his death and resurrection.
What did he do when he was stressed? Who did he associate with? Who gravitated to him? What were the themes of his teaching? Look at how he lived.
Our life is informed and inspired by others. We have to see how things are lived out. That’s what gets to us, not cold concepts.
So, again, I come back to a reoccurring theme. Nurture your soul. It will help you live a good life.
Photo Credit: Sarwar Zubair. Creative Commons.
