Prayer, spiritual activities, and being/doing

“I am seeking to analyze from a Congolese pastor at my church who reminds us, ‘We are humans, now not human doings.’ Yes, there is a rhythm between being and doing. Thank you for the reminder that the being comes first. Inhale, then exhale.”

My buddy John wrote that touch upon Facebook in reaction to my submit some weeks in the past about the reason of Christian meditation. Oddly, the equal day that I noticed his words, I had a communication with my pal Lisa who said similar words about that particular blog publish. Lisa stated we need to be careful in drawing close Christian meditation, or certainly any non secular exercise, as some thing to do that equips us to do more. At some factor, God calls us to rest as loved children and disciples. To be in place of do.

For 4 months now I’ve been writing about the connections among spiritual practices and prayer, and this is the last submit within the series. Spiritual practices encompass many kinds of prayer and engagement with the Bible, in addition to other things we do that don’t healthy well into the “Bible and prayer” classes. Those other spiritual practices consist of fasting, Sabbath preserving, journaling, slowing, unplugging, pilgrimage, walking a labyrinth, and lots of greater.

Spiritual practices make space in our lives so we are able to enjoy God’s presence in our lives. As Adele Ahlberg Calhoun describes it, they deliver us area to “keep company” with Jesus. Both Calhoun and my other favorite creator approximately religious practices, Margorie Thompson, emphasize that non secular practices rework us. Another manner to view transformation is to mention that spiritual practices help us take part within the Holy’s Spirit’s shaping people into the image of Jesus. “And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the honor of the Lord . . . Are being converted into the equal photo from one diploma of glory to any other. For this comes from the Lord who's the Spirit” (2 Corinthians three:18). The Apostle Paul right here stresses the work of the Holy Spirit. Elsewhere he stresses the ways that God calls us to reward, prayer, faithfulness, obedience, and provider, all of which make us available for God’s transformation. “Inhale, then exhale,” my buddy John wrote. We have to inhale God’s goodness in order for God to paintings inside us. Spiritual practices assist us inhale.

Reading or meditating at the Bible, praying in one shape or every other, maintaining a Sabbath, fasting, going on a pilgrimage, or accomplishing every other non secular practice is something we do. And but, maximum folks who engage in non secular practices communicate approximately moments of peace, resting in God’s presence, feeling Jesus’s companionship. Engaging in religious practices means ceasing to do a little matters: no longer racing round, now not obsessing, now not looking to show we’re worthy, no longer trying to earn God’s approval. Yes, religious practices are something we do, and but they're also an opportunity to revel in ourselves as people, now not human doings.

I wrote Lisa an e mail approximately the adorable serendipity of my conversation with her at the same day as I read John’s comments, and Lisa wrote this in reaction:

“I'm intrigued via John’s remarks about breathing in and exhaling. I thought you would possibly want to listen about my enjoy of exhaling is a part of my prayer. Recently, after I turned into at an retreat, I instructed my spiritual director approximately a quote that had truely stood out to me. Then I let loose a large exhale, leaned again onto the couch, permit my palms drop to my aspect, and spread out my hands a chunk. So my hands have been open. That then became a posture of prayer for the retreat and since the retreat. Somehow letting my fingers fall to the side and spreading out my fingers has become a way of expressing accept as true with and resting in God. I've been amazed at how returning to that easy physical posture modifications my inner posture. It has been a manner of training being with God.”

Lisa seems to be describing one form of “lifestyles-giving, non-cerebral prayer,” that I described closing week. Spiritual practices supply us the distance to get hold of from God and to experience ourselves as loved human beings. And then we can develop in serving and loving.

I encourage you to bring this idea into your prayers: Whatever types of spiritual practices we have interaction in are methods to enjoy ourselves as cherished human beings who hold organisation with Jesus and are being converted by means of the Holy Spirit.

God who made us and loves us, Jesus who walks with us and gives us peace that passes know-how, and Holy Spirit who transforms us, we pray that you may:

• free us from the bondage of our personal or others' expectations so we will enjoy being with you in the methods that paintings first-rate for us and people we like
• use our modern spiritual practices to present us a experience which you are with us, working inner us, shaping us
• invite us into new spiritual practices with a view to assist us know you, love you, and rest in you
• lead us into new sorts of prayer on the way to increase our reference to you.