My Spiritual Journey
Session 8 • Maturity • Activation
Our spiritual formation is a life long pursuit of being formed into the image of Jesus, from the inside out. Spiritual Formation is the direct action of the Holy Spirit upon on inner lives. Our journey will involve highs and lows, twists and turns; and God’s redemptive purposes will weave through it all - through the pain and suffering as much as the joy and abundance. All events and circumstances form us:
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13
Apprenticeship under Jesus is experiential learning, which means that we are formed in our character and in our actions, through time and experience. This process cannot be rushed. It is a slow work, and it is often messy and painful, but we remember that God is in control.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1:6
Personal Reflection
Spend some time reflecting on your spiritual journey so far. Later, we will visualize this, but to begin we will contemplate the following questions:
- When did you first encounter God? What was that like? How did God seem to you?
- Who has been most influential to you on your spiritual journey? Why?
- At what points did your spiritual journey feel light and easy? At what points did it feel heavy or difficult?
- What have been the high points? When did you feel a sense of closeness to God?
- What have been the lowest points? When has God felt absent or distant?
- Have there been significant times of growth or change in you, either positively or negatively?
- Which events or circumstances have changed or shaped you the most?
- When have you experienced a strong feeling of certainty or security?
- When have you experienced spiritual doubt or confusion?
- Can you identify any particular turning points on your journey?
Create a Spiritual Map
All you will need in order to do this is a piece of paper and a pen.
How could you visualize your spiritual journey? Consider drawing a map, a timeline, or a graph. It can be helpful to break the time up into manageable chunks - childhood, adolescence, college years etc You might prefer to record a list of experiences or write everything down in the form of testimony. Record your experiences with words of pictures, whatever will be most helpful for you in visualizing your life with God.
Consider using colors or symbols to highlight times when you felt close to God, or times when you felt distant. Find ways of identifying particular spiritual milestones or marking the moments where you can clearly see evidence of the faithfulness of God.
Pray
Spend some time talking with God about all that you have remembered. Give thanks for anything that reminds you of his goodness and faithfulness. Bring your questions and desires to him. What are you longing for that is still unfulfilled? Sit under the loving gaze of God and relinquish control of your life. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with his loving presence and to speak to you about any invitations he wishes to give you in this moment.