Robert Mulholland Jr., in his book Invitation to a Journey, says,
“Every thought we hold, every decision we make, every action we take, every emotion we allow to shape our behavior, every response we make to the world around us, every relationship we enter into, every reaction we have toward the things that surround us and impinge upon our lives—all of these things, little by little, are shaping us into some kind of being. We are being shaped into either the wholeness of the image of Christ or a horribly destructive caricature of that image, destructive not only to ourselves but also to others, for we inflict our brokenness upon them.”
We are constantly and continually being shaped into “revised” images of our former selves. As Mulholland says, everything we think and do and everyone we interact with contributes to this revised image. We are constantly being formed into someone new. Since we are made in the image of God, we are constantly being “shaped into either the wholeness of the image of Christ or a horribly destructive caricature of that image.” As Christ’s followers, the goal of our shaping should be to become more like Jesus!
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)
For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. (Romans 8:29a CSB)
In future posts, we will continue to examine how we can and should be shaped in the image of Christ. That is the entire focus of this blog/newsletter. However, before we dig deeper into how to be shaped, let’s look at the areas of our lives in which we are shaped. I call these “Seven Spiritual Formation Frames.” Sometimes, our spiritual formation in each area is intentional, but often, it is not. It just happens! Over the next seven weeks, we will “unpack” how we are shaped in each area.
Spiritual Disciplines or Practices
Practicing spiritual disciplines is the primary way we are formed spiritually. As Christ Followers, we need to spend time reading the Bible, praying, worshiping, etc. God uses these to “grow us in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). However, as Richard Foster says, spiritual disciplines do not do anything on their own, but they “allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.”
Influential People in Our Lives
Every person we encounter shapes us and is shaped by us in some way. We are impacted by the people in our lives. However, God puts significant people in our lives that directly impact our spiritual formation. It may be a parent, a grandparent, a pastor, a friend, or a prayer partner. Regardless of the relationship, God can and does use others to shape us spiritually.
Significant Life Events
Every person has significant events that shape their life. We have those events that we call “good” – we get our first job, we may get married, have a child, etc. We also have those events that we label as “bad” – we get in an accident; someone close to us dies; we get a life-threatening sickness. Any way we categorize these significant events, God uses them to shape our lives.
Media and the Arts
Our lives are saturated with media and the arts. We text and communicate with others through social media. We spend hours on the Internet surfing or watching video clips. We watch TV and movies. Throughout history humankind has communicated their thoughts and beliefs through some kind of media. The reality is that we are impacted by media and the arts in ways we may not even realize – good and bad.
Ordinary Life
A lot of what we do in life is mundane. There is nothing exciting about taking out the trash, paying bills, cleaning house, or doing dishes. We get up, do our daily tasks, spend time with family or friends, and then go to bed. Only to do it over again the next day. We need to realize that there is great opportunity for God to shape us through the mundane actions of our lives.
Our Weaknesses
None of us is perfect! Every one of us has areas in our lives where we are week and need to grow – no matter our age. These are places where God can use his “heavenly sandpaper” and begin to smooth out our roughness. The Apostle Paul even states that Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Every weakness we have is an opportunity for God to shape us more into his likeness.
Our Choices and Decisions
Every decision we make, essentially makes us. In most cases, this is cumulative – as we make many decisions over time. However, in some cases a single choice or decision changes the course of a life. In some sense, choices and decisions impact all of the other spiritual formation frames because we chose to initiate, engage, and respond in each area. The choices and decisions we make in life are an opportunity to be shaped by God.