The Spiritual Yearning
1/27/2014
The Spiritual Yearning
Signs of spiritual yearning
An emptiness; something is missing
Spiritual hunger: needing a transcendent compass
Older patterns of religious life seem antiquated : worship, Bible
"Spiritual" but not "religious"
A social phenomenon: a sea change; temple stay, retreat centers
Reasons of spiritual yearning
* Cultural factors
The worldview of rationalism
Technological adnavces: rapid change, internet
Superficial values: consumerism, idol groups
Fear: violence, disaster, survival, competition
*Personal factors
Suffering and trageedy: new forms of suffering
Dissatisfied with the language of faith in church
No place to share experiences of God
*Spiritual factors
Desire for a transcendent wellspring of meaning and purpose in life(e.g., "Into the Great Silence")
What is spirituality?
Piety: moral rigidity
Devotion: lack of objectivity; potentially superficial and external exercise
The spiritual life: the increasing vitality and sway of God's Spirit in us; a magnificent choreography of the Holy Spirit in the human spirit, moving us toward communion with both Creator and creation.
"Conformation to the image of Christ by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit"
Reshaping(sanctification): conformation, reformation, and transformation
Spirituality
The universal human capacity to receive, reflect, and respond to the Spirit of God
The way we realize this spiritual potential
It involves conscious awareness of , and assent to, the work of the Spirit in us.
It points to a path - to choices of belief, value commitments, patterns of life, and practices ….
The character of the spiritual life
A process of transformation in the life of a believer: sanctification
A process of growing in gratitude, trust, obedience, humility, compassion, service, and joy(and freedom)
Initiated and sustained by one who lives both within and beyond us
Not a task of self-reformation; no fix-it-yourself kit
Relationship between divine grace and human free will: e.g. a sailboat
The role of Spiritual disciplines
Practices that help us consciously to develop the spiritual dimension of our lives
Choose them only if we have a strong desire to grow
Simply means of grace
Garden tools: stones, weeds
Windows onto grace: transparent, opaque
Our motives are almost always mixed to some extent: so just begin practicing
Finding spiritual nurture: tradition
When we are severed from our roots, we are like plants without nourishment.
Scripture, creeds and confessions, writings of great theologians, mystics, and reformers from the early church to…
Hesitations, reservations, resistance
Share your own stories of spiritual yearning.
Rule of life
Communion with God. Body posture
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