Folkerts' Faith - "Invitation to a Journey" - Part 2

In Part One of this series of blog posts, I wrote about the first part of a book I've been reading called, "Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation," by Robert Mulholland, Jr.  It's been a great read so I wanted to share some insights from the book.

Mulholland's definition of "Spiritual formation" is fourfold; (1) a process (2) of being conformed, (3) to the image of Christ, (4) for the sake of others.  Last time, I wrote about the first part - a process.  This time, we'll tackle "being conformed."

The first thing the author points out is that this definition does NOT say that spiritual formation is a process of "conforming ourselves" to the image of Christ, but of BEING conformed.  The difference here is an issue of control. I think all of us like to feel somewhat in control of our lives, and some of us struggle with this issue even more than others.  If you don't think so, study the ways you respond when something disrupts your plans.  In our spiritual pilgrimage, this is a HUGE issue.  We don't mind spiritual formation as long as we can be in control of it...as long as we can set the limits, the pace and the direction.  Letting God take control (and then obedience to his direction) are very difficult for most of us. 

Our culture doesn't help us much in our battle either.  We are a do-it-yourself culture and we are what Mulholland calls a "objectivizing, informational-functional" culture. 

Objectivizing because we view the world as something to be "grasped" and controlled for our own purposes. "Grapers powerfully resist begin grasped by God.  Manipulators strongly reject being shaped by God.  Controllers are inherently incapable of yielding control to God."

Informational-Functional because we seek to possess information, either knowledge or techniques, so that we may function more effectively to bring about the results we desire in our lives.

But Mulholland says there's even a deeper dimension of this need of control: "We tend to see such control as essential to the meaning, value and purpose of our being."  He cites things like workaholism through which we seek to prove we have value and meaning and purpose. "To put it simply, we live as though our doing determined our being."  The rest of the Chapter is primarily focused on this confusion.

Being & Doing
Mulholland write about the first temptation of Jesus as read in Matthew 4:1-4. In Matthew 3:16-17, Jesus is baptized and the heavens open and the Spirit comes down like a dove to rest on Him and a voice says "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." "...the Spirit can be seen as Jesus' empowerment for ministry and "This is my Son" as Jesus' call to ministry," write Mulholland.  

But Mulholland continues, "Isn't it interesting that the Spirit, the source of Jesus' empowerment, is also focal in the temptation that follows"  (Matthew 4:1 - "The Spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted").  So temptation isn't alien to us, it's not something from the outside that intrudes.  Instead, "the most critical temptations attach themselves to the call and empowerment of God that defines the meaning and value and purpose of our existence. Jesus' first temptation "went to the heart of who He was."  Mulholland says this is the same temptation to which our culture has succumbed.

In Matthew 4:3, the temptation is set: "If you are the Son of God, speak, that these stones may become bread."  So, the temptation is for Jesus to authenticate God's call by doing something which He is empowered to do by the Spirit. "More significantly, it is a temptation to reverse the roles of being and doing." 

Being and doing are related but we have to get the order correct! Our doing flows from our being. But we tend to think we have to do the right things to be the right kind of Christian. We should cling to the truth that is it God who is the source of spiritual transformation, not us. "This is inherent in Jesus' response to his temptation, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Our relationship with God, not our doing, is the source of our being."

Mulholland concludes this chapter with these words, "This means that our spiritual journey is not our setting out to find God. It is a journey of learning to yield ourselves to God and discovering where God will take us."

Folkerts' Faith - "Invitation to a Journey" - Part 1

I'm hoping this will be the first of at least a monthly entry on this blog of mine on topics related to Christian faith. For this first entry (and a few more to follow shortly), I want to share from a book I just began reading this last week that I've already highlighted to death!

I found this book, "Invitation to a Journey: A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation," by M. Robert Mulholland Jr., referenced in a blog that I had been reading, and it sounded like something that I needed to check into.  I'm so glad I did!  I'm only half way through and it's been very poignant.  I'm going to highlight the things that spoke to me.

The Nature of Spiritual Formation

The important point to begin with is Mulholland's definition of "Spiritual formation" which is fourfold; (1) a process (2) of being conformed, (3) to the image of Christ, (4) for the sake of others.  

This definition is counter-cultural.  Spiritual formation as a "process" moves against our instant gratification society.  Spiritual formation as "being conformed" would seem like weakness to a culture that lifts up the ideas of "do it yourself", self reliance, and need to control everything.  Spiritual formation in the image of Christ is very different from our culture's holding up ideals of self-actualization and our nature of wanting to creating God in OUR image.  And finally, spiritual formation "for the sake of others" goes against the grain of privitized and individualized religion where spiritual life is just between the individual and God.  

A Process

We definitely live in an instant gratification culture. As part of this culture, become impatient rather quickly with any process that requires a great deal of our time and energy, especially if results aren't seen almost instantly.  We do this in our spiritual lives as well. Many contemporary definitions of Christian discipleship and spirituality feed those seeking to grow a view of spiritual life as a "static possession rather than a dynamic and ever-developing growth toward wholeness in the image of Christ".  Mulholland states, "Often our spiritual quest becomes a search for the right technique, the proper method, the perfect program that can immediately deliver the desired results of spiritual maturity and wholeness." He quotes Kenneth Leech, a leading Anglican writer, who sums up the problem very well...

In the years since the 1960's we have seen "the popular unfolding of an authentically spiritual quest..." Yet linked with this search for authentic experiential knowledge of God and of "inner space" there has been a narrowing of vision, a desire for instant ecstasy, instant salvation...It is the quest for the correct method, the right mantra, the short cut which brings insight, which has marked so much of the recent spiritual undergrowth."

I love short cuts.  I love getting to where I want to be by the quickest possible method.  I especially love it when I miss out on a bunch of really yucky traffic when I take a short cut.  Now, skipping out on and short-cutting DC traffic is one thing. But when we try to short cut the important things in our lives, it rarely works to our advantage.

I'm definitely not the most patient person in the world and this is something I have to work very hard to combat when it comes to my spiritual life.    When it seems to me to take too long, it can feel like spiritual stagnation; as if nothing were moving at all.  But Mulholland importantly points out is that we don't realize that a "period of apparent spiritual stagnation, a time in which we don't feel we are going anywhere, a phase of life where our relationship with God seems weak or nonexistent, the time of dryness, of darkness...is filled with nurturing down below the surface we never see." God "may be approaching our consciousness from behind, coming forward through  regions of our darkness into our light, long before we begin to be aware that He is answering our request - has answered it, and is visiting His child. (George MacDonald)"

There are, of course, times when we feel like we're really growing in our faith.  But during these times we have to be careful to not view that growth as all there is in spirituality.  Otherwise, we won't be prepared for the long haul. Furthermore, sometimes, what we see as a huge growth spurt may only be the smallest part of what has been going on over a long, steady process of grace.

So, spiritual growth is a continuous and sometimes difficult process.  Mulholland quickly points out that this may tempt us to think we can skip out on it all together; that it's something only for our pastor's, teachers, etc.  But EVERYONE is in a process of spiritual formation, in one way or another.  All the things we do, think, decide, react to, etc. are forming 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 others, for we inflict our brokenness upon them." Spiritual formation is not an option!  It's a process of "growing up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

Summer Update - Belize

I know, I know...it's been FOREVER since I've posted anything on this blog of mine.  I'm not a serial blogger, what can I say :)  I just blog when I really want to, or have a bunch to share.  And I have A BUNCH to share, so here we go.

This summer has been crazy busy!  Feel like we've been gone more than we've been home.  It all kicked off with a trip to Belize.  My mother and grandmother watched Jackson for us while we were gone for 4 days.  I was a little anxious to leave the little guy, but once I got on the plane, I was ready for some time away with the hubby!

First we flew into Miami, which I had never done. Ate the best brisket sandwich ever at a place called Ice Box.  SOOO GOOD!  Then boarded the plane for Belize City International Airport.  After only about 2 hours, we landed.

Then we boarded a Tropic Air small plane to go to San Pedro on Ambergis Caye island, about a 15 minute flight.

Here we are about to land in San Pedro, Ambergis Caye. You can see the airstrip...

When you leave the very small airport, you walk straight out into the city of San Pedro.  This is the view.  Everyone drives around in golf carts, rides bikes, or walks.  Very few cars. 

We were staying at a place called El Pescador Lodge.  So they sent someone to pick us up from the airport and take us to the dock to board a boat that takes us to the lodge...

David and I on the boat...

The boat ride takes about 5-10 minutes. So pretty though.  Just loved looking at the water and all the homes and restorts on the coastline.  Finally, we pulled into the dock of El Pescador...

Got checked into our room.  Small but nice :)  Even better was the view from the deck just outside our door!!!

We got straight to relaxing in the hammocks...

Then we had a wonderful dinner.  El Pescador serves family style outside.  Their food was AMAZING!! Really, I would go back just for the food.  Every night just about blew my mind.  I'm hungry just thinking about it.  That's why I bought their cookbook and brought it back with me :)

The next full day David did what he does best...went fly fishing for Bonefish!!

Why do they always look like they are going to rob a bank?...

Me, I had no interest in waking up at 5am and spending 8 hours with the hot sun beating down on me in long sleeves and pants.  So I did what I do best - sat in the pool and drank!...

...and walked on the beach...

...and ran into a guy opening coconuts...

...and drank coconut water straight out of the coconut...

...and playing with one of the lodge's dogs, Max

...who may just have the best gig in the entire world!

Oh, and no pics, but I also got the best massage of my life that afternoon.  Then, when David returned from fishing, I made him bike into the city of San Pedro with me.  Man, that was a WORK OUT!! NO pictures of that either.  I was too tired!

The next day, David took a break from fishing so we could go on a tour of some Mayan Ruins.  It started with us boarding a small boat from Ambergis Caye...

And then traveling to the mainland on the boat to the New River.  You can see the river coming up in this picture...

The guy had obviously boated on this river before because he took the curves like a champ!

The guides stopped to show us some "snake cactus"...

And some tiny bats hanging out on a tree...

Then we pulled up to this little village where we disembarked...

...to board a bus.

But before we did, we got to walk around this little village...

This guy was holding something that's kinda a cross between a possum and a raccoon.

Now, let me explain one thing. It was rainy season in Belize and they had gotten a lot of rain before we came.  So we're driving along in the bus and all of a sudden our road looks more like a river.  Didn't seem to phase the driver though.  He just kept going slowly along.

Water as far as the eye can see...

We finally got out of the water and drove about 30 minutes to Altun Ha, Mayan Ruins occupied from about BC 900 to AD 1000.

 This is Mayan "air conditioning" - the opening allowed air to come in without the rain coming in...

This is the most popular structure is the Temple of the Masonry Altars, which is 54 feet high.

So we climbed to the top (stairs for visitors are on the side, you don't climb the ones on the front.  In fact, I don't know how the Mayans managed to climb them. They are SOOOOOOO steep!)  Here's the view...

After Altun Ha, we reboarded the bus and headed to Maruba Resort and Jungle Spa for lunch and a dip in the pool.

The hibiscus tea was very good and you can eat the flower!

Then it was back on the bus and back to the village to get back on the boat.  I took a few more pictures that show you the amount of flooding...

A guy with plantains came on the boat with us to take the plantains back to Ambergis Caye.  He had a dog named Peanut who obviously didn't want him to go...

...so Peanut watched us float away from the flooded dock....

The boat ride back to Ambergis Caye was rather bumpy as the wind had picked up. Here's a video...

The final day David did some more fishing and I did some more relaxing.  This is the pool view I had for most of the day :) 

Had some visiting geckos...

That evening was just wonderful.  The breeze coming in was so relaxing and David and I just spent the whole night sitting by the pool and hanging with friends, furry and otherwise...

Me and Ana, a young girl I befriended while there.  She was a hoot!

I won't post any pictures from leaving, because it was too sad :(  I would recommend Belize to anyone!