Forget Resolutions, Practice Discipleship
One of my favorite stories as a young believer was about the town drunk who would attend the yearly revival services each year in a local church. When the revival preacher gave an invitation to come forward, this guy would respond by going forward, getting on his knees and crying out, “Fill me Lord; fill me Jesus.” This went on for several years, but inevitably he would fall back into his old drinking habits, only to resurface at the next year’s revival and do the same thing again. Finally, five years into this predictable pattern, as the town drunkard was crying out again, “Fill me Lord; fill me Jesus”, a little old lady in the back pew shouted out, “Don’t do it Lord, he leaks!”.
I think the reason I liked that story so well was because it rang true to my own experience as a young Christian. I would be inspired by a great message or powerful testimony and recommit my life to Jesus only to find myself leaking within a few weeks.
The truth is that we all leak. Mountain top experiences, campfire recommitments, or New Year’s resolutions have a way of evaporating, and we quickly return to our former behaviors. It raises an important question as we approach a new year. How does real and lasting change take place?
The Reality of Spiritual Formation
Let me begin with a quotation that helpfully spells out the reality of spiritual formation:
“For many Christians, the quest for the deeper life in Christ is viewed as a discipline for the dedicated disciple, a pursuit for the particularly pious, a spiritual frill for those who have the time or inclination, a spiritual fad for trendy Christians.
We fail to realize that the process of spiritual shaping is a primal reality of human existence. Everyone is in a process of spiritual formation! 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.”
M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Invitation To A Journey
Notice several truths from this statement:
The Myth - that discipleship is optional or a “spiritual frill for those who have the time or inclination”. There is no such category in Scripture for a follower of Jesus. All who are called to salvation are called to discipleship.
The Premise – that only Christians are engaged in spiritual formation. “We fail to realize that the process of spiritual shaping is a primal reality of human existence.” All of us, Christian and non-Christian, are engaged in spiritual shaping all of the time whether we realize it or not.
The Process – that it touches every aspect of our being. “Every thought we hold, every decision we make, every action we take, every emotion, every relationship...every reaction...all these things, little by little, are shaping us.”
The Outcome – that we’re being shaped in one of two ways. “Either the wholeness of the image of Christ or a horribly destructive caricature of that image.”
This helps us to understand why New Year’s resolutions and the like don’t really change us in any significant way. They don’t go deep enough or long enough or broad enough. I often tell people to quit recommitting themselves to a Jesus they barely understand, but instead start committing themselves to the things Jesus says and does, things like Bible study, obedience, prayer, solitude, service, Christian community, and loving others to name a few.
The following chart is a helpful way to get under the hood to understand the dynamics of spiritual transformation and the path of discipleship.
Remember Jesus’ mandate to “make disciples teaching them to obey everything I’ve commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20) goes beyond informing the mind; it aims to shape the character. It encompasses tutoring the heart to forge godly character as well as training disciples in practical ministry skills. New Testament discipleship targets the head, the heart, and the hands.
Note, too, the length, breadth, and depth of spiritual transformation as it touches the cognitive (mind), the affective (desires), and the volitional (will) dimensions of human personality.
How We Change
The process of transformation (what God does) is inseparably related to formation or discipleship (what we do) and the habits we form. When thoughts are repeated, rehearsed and reinforced they become beliefs, habitual feelings become emotions, and repeated behaviors become habits. If the process is repeated with sufficient frequency and duration, it will change your worldviews, core desires, and life-styles. In other words, it will create a new “me.” That is what happens to Jesus’ disciples. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen.
Adapted from the Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality, Evan B. Howard, pg. 102
This is totally consistent with what we can learn from those who study human behavior, both ancient and modern. The ancient philosopher, Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” And
Charles Duhigg in a New York Times bestseller, The Power of Habit, says, “We are all creatures of habit and if you make good habits, good habits will make you.”
One final thing and it is mission critical. While self-improvement and behavioral modification is possible through rehabituation, Christian transformation is only possible when this process is initiated and infused with the Spirit of Christ who comes to live in the heart of a believer. Christianity is not hard; it’s impossible. You can’t live a Christian life apart from the life of Christ. Discipleship is not a matter of turning over a new leaf, but rather, receiving a new life. As the Puritan, Thomas Chalmers put it, Christian transformation is “the expulsive power of a new affection.”
God, by His Holy Spirit, comes to live in the heart of the believer. He creates new affections (new loves, new desires) that inform the mind and empower the will.
Paul captures this idea when he says:
“…continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:12
Note your work and God’s work. You (the believer) are to work out your salvation. Not to work for your salvation but to work out what God has already worked in as a free gift. I understand what a “workout” is and does. A physical workout takes time, energy and effort and over time will reshape the body. Likewise, spiritual practices take time, energy and effort, but over time will reshape the soul.
Notice too, God’s work in this – “God is working in you to give you the desire and power to do what pleases him.”
As you look to a new year, don’t fall into the trap of the self-help gospel. Rather, embrace the Good News. Jesus came into this world to die for our sin and to be resurrected to new life, so you can encounter Him and let Him empower you to live the life He calls you to. Then prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit, commit yourself to the things Jesus calls you to.
