Blog

Jesus Pill or . . . ?

March 15, 2010 | By: The Table

 

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed these days. I'm privileged to hear so many people's stories and help them try to pay attention to the work of God in their lives. I love it. But sometimes . . .

I wish spiritual formation was neat and tidy.
I wish we just came to church on Sunday and took a "Jesus pill" and that was it for the week.
But it's not and we can't.

Spiritual formation (or how we become more like Jesus) happens:
as we wait in line at the grocery store and pray for patience;
when we choose to say "no" to the third or fourth drink;
when we say "yes" to hard conversations filled with grace and truth.
It happens when we serve and no one notices.
When we hurt someone and ask forgiveness.

And the ways we fill our minds with God's transforming thoughts may happen as we listen to a podcast on the treadmill,
or a book on CD commuting to work,
or at a Bible study over coffee,
or through a daily devotional we get on our iphone.

I've said before that I love John Ortberg's quote: "God isn't a mass-producer He's a handcrafter." So how is God handcrafting you?

I've heard from a lot of you these past few weeks and I thought it might be helpful if I passed on some of the crafting tools God had used In my life this week. I am sharing these not because "I think you need this," but because each of these have been amazing . . . life-giving and motivating for me and maybe they will be for you too.

  1. John Ortberg podcast - "The Me I Want to Be" (2/7/10 http://www.northpoint.org/messages)
  2. Andy Stanley podcast - " White Flag" (2/28/10 http://www.northpoint.org/messages)
  3. Sex God (book, mp3, or CD) by Rob Bell

Maybe download one of these right now at the beginning of your week. And please, let me know what you think!

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another." - Hebrews 10:24-25

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table