The Realities of Spiritual Formation: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Welcome to the "Realities of Spiritual Formation" blog site. Some people may be saying, okay, spiritual formation, great let's get on with it. But others may be scratching their head asking what is spiritual formation? That would be a good question because it can be different for everyone, depending upon if you're a Christian if you have ever received mentoring or took classes on growing spiritually, your denomination beliefs, your church's beliefs, and even your own personal and spiritual beliefs.

Spiritual formation can mean different things to different people. Even those who write about it or teach on it may have a different definition of spiritual formation. So, what is it? In its basic form, spiritual formation is the process of growing into the image of Jesus. Sounds simple enough right? A more professional definition would come from Paul Pettit in his book, Foundations of Spiritual Formation. Pettit tells us that spiritual formation is "the ongoing process of the triune God Transforming the believer's life and character toward the life and character of Jesus Christ - accomplished by the ministry of the Spirit in the context of biblical community." This is a very comprehensive definition that may leave your head spinning. Regardless of how you define it, spiritual formation is the process of change. It is the process of growing spiritually.

Most people don't like change and do what they can to avoid it. This makes growing spiritually quite a challenge. But God loves us too much to leave us where we are once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. So, Christians go through a growing process as they walk with Him. Some people choose not to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Some people get stuck in their understanding of what is expected of a Christian. Others falter within the church that may not be growing or are secluded within their own church walls. But others choose to learn about Jesus and grow spiritually, walking the path of spiritual formation.

So, what is this blog about? It's about my own personal journey with Jesus. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to being a Christian. Yes, I said bad and ugly. Being a Christian is not all roses and anyone who tells you it is, well, they are lying to you. Either that or they don't pose a threat or challenge to satan. In which case, he leaves you alone to live your unfruitful life. I may have just stepped on some toes there or at least got you thinking.

If you wonder why I did not capitalize the word satan, it's because he does not deserve it. We capitalize letters for several reasons. The first is to show the beginning of a sentence. Then there is to show the importance of a word in a title. The last reason is to signal a proper name or official titles.

Satan is not important to me. ​He is a pain in the butt and there is nothing official or proper about him. He went against God, rebelling, spouting off about how great he was, greater than God. Then he convinced other angels to follow him. Do you know what happened? God kicked them all out. Check it out in the Bible. Here are some Scriptures to read: Isaiah 14:12–15 and Luke 10:18.

Satan continues today thinking he is all that, but he's not. The Bible warns us that he is roaming around, roaring and seeking like a lion, waiting to destroy any Christian he can find. You can find that in John 10:10. So, he is still causing trouble today and will until Jesus returns.

The one thing satan is good at is destroying people and their families. He is masterfully deceitful. He is smooth in how he wiggles his way into your life. He quietly infiltrates your mind without you knowing it until it's too late. Something as simple as looking at a woman in the wrong way can lead to an affair. Lying your way out of a traffic ticket can lead to another lie and then another one after that. Bragging to your buddies about how you got out of a ticket you rightly deserved is not something to be proud of. These examples may seem trivial or far-fetched but they are real and it happens. Quietly, seductively. Not all sin or temptation is blatantly obvious. That's how he gets us. "R" rated movies with violence and sex hitting our senses for hours at a time. Yep. Trivial but seed laying. Just as we plant seeds to help others come to know Christ, satan plants seeds to pull people away from Christ and what He represents, goodness, kindness, forgiveness, and love. These are the things satan is against and strives to pull Christians away from, God's Word and promises.

Life isn't easy and neither is being a Christian. We all face challenges. The important thing is how we come through them. It's also important to share our struggles and how we approached them. Our approach to a problem may not always be the correct one but if we grow from it, we have made steps in our spiritual walk. Being able to share our struggles, stories, failures, and successes with others is vital to help others along the way in their spiritual walk. That is what this blog is all about. It is about sharing. Sharing experiences that are painful, embarrassing, eye-opening, and full of learning from someone else's spiritual walk. It is a chance to connect with me and others in an online community.

​Maybe you will see yourself or someone you know in a situation or response. We often feel alone in our problems and struggles, especially when it comes to our spiritual walk. But we are not alone. That is a lie told by satan. He wants you to feel alone. He wants you to feel bad about yourself. He wants you to stop following God. I know. I've been there. That is why I want to share my story with you. Because somewhere, there is someone else struggling with their spirituality, feeling like they have failed God and themselves. Someone out there either needs to read these words or connect with someone before they feel its too late. But with God, all things are possible and He will never leave us or forsake us. We are the ones who walk away.

By this time you are deciding whether or not you will read another blog. Your feelings may have been hurt or your toes stepped on. You may be shaking your head in agreement or you may think I am taking this spiritual thing a little too far. Well, Jesus is serious when it comes to growing in your spirituality and satan is just as serious wanting to pull you away and keep you from Him entirely.

​How do I know? Because I have lived it and continue to on a daily basis. If you are a Christian, depending upon your denomination, you may believe once saved always saved, or that people can lose their salvation. Either way, growing in your spirituality is not a game, it's a reality. It is not something to shrug off. Our souls depend upon it.

The Bible has a lot to tell us about growing into the image of Christ. So do people who are walking the spiritual walk. Believers are called to come alongside others and help them when in need, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is my hope and prayer that you can learn from my experiences. I invite you to take this journey with me and become part of a community. Please comment as you feel led. Questions are invited too.

Who am I? I would like to tell you that I am a sweet, wholesome woman who is perfect in every way. But that would be one big fat lie. So, who am I really? I am someone who loves Jesus but fails every day to walk in His footsteps. I struggle to read my Bible every day. I forget to thank God for all His blessings. My prayer life is inconsistent. I get angry. I yell. I scream. I, on occasion, curse. I get aggravated with people and things. I can give someone a dirty look in the blink of an eye. I do not like to be inconvenienced or interrupted. I want things now and I want things my way. I do not like to be told what to do or follow most rules. Sound familiar to anyone? I am human and I have attitude. Not exactly Jesus sounding is it? No, it's not and that is why I need Jesus.

So, I invite you to come along with me on my spiritual journey. Honesty to the point of hurting will be evident. There are no gimmicks, gags, or tricks. No arm twisting will occur in an attempt to persuade you in any direction. Instead, you will read about a real-life journey involving my own spiritual growth and formation. I hope to hear from you in the comments as we go along. We are in this together and it is time to be honest with one another when it comes to growing spiritually.

Blessings,

​Janet