Dallas Willard on Spiritual Formation... 3/9

"The process of spiritual formation in Christ is one of progressively replacing destructive ideas and images with the images and ideas of Jesus himself."

Transforming the thought life

Willard, D(2002)Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ

Dallas Willard suggests that Spiritual formation must transform ideas, there needs to be rigour to spiritual discipline in order to identify that there needs to be a replacement of ideas that are outside God’s agenda with the ideas that Jesus embodied and taught. This is Christian spiritual formation.

Willard quotes Henri Nouwen who notes:

"Success, popularity and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of a much larger temptation of self-rejection. We have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions ... Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the 'Beloved'. Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence."

Willard continues...

"Taking this idea, this profound truth, to heart is an important step towards reorienting our lives. The gospel of Jesus is the only complete answer to the false and destructive ideas and images that control life without God. The process of spiritual formation in Christ is one of progressively replacing destructive ideas and images with the images and ideas of Jesus himself." pp 72
(An interesting quote for those who like mulling over the process and crisis of holiness debate? Perhaps the crisis is in the recognition that it is possible and the process the outworking of that God given recognition?)

Sometimes I wonder if the destructive ideas are cleverly disguised. A hard look at our self-assurance and the attitudes we maintain in our line of debate may have unintentionally obscured that our thinking and our urgency to be right has put our arguments first and God second. Putting God first in our thinking transforms our entire life – brings a proper perspective within our lives. Chief enemies that Willard suggests we need to watch out for are pride; ignorance; allowing our desires to control our thinking and domination of unhelpful images we admit into our minds. (Willard 2002)

I feel uncomfortable when I reflect whether the arguments/ dialogue however noble I enter are fuelled by pride, often ignorance and often the desire to be right.

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Dallas Willard on Spiritual Formation... 1/9

Dallas Willard on Spiritual Formation... 2/9

Comments

Rob said…
yeah
I see what you mean- that's a tricky one and I am now wondering which discussions I have been involved in recently in which my pride nd desire to be right have overtaken rather than the rimacy of God.

Thanks - this series is giving me stuff to think about.
6:38 PM
Anonymous said…
"We have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions ... "

I found this quote helpful because sometimes in ministry when there are tough decisions to make we are frightened to make them because we may then not be popular and some may call us worthless and so how important it is to have our self-esteem rooted in Jesus and our ideas and decision based on what is right and not what is popular.
I suppose as it says it comes to being humble.... and Christlike..

Thanks for this

Glenda
12:49 AM
Eleanor Burne-Jones said…
I think the first humility that's essential is the willingness to understand we don't automatically have the best perspective on things, never mind the mind of God to understand the issues fully. While spiritual formation as an individual relies on as Willard puts it so powerfully on replacing images and ideas, they continue to operate in the framework of passions, drives and desires. If we didn't have the desires, we wouldn't have the passion to go do mission in a particular context, or whatever. So the desires in my thinking are critical. The Booths had passion for what they were doing! But the process of spiritual formation of a group, church, or community, requires balance as well, and that to me means understanding that while as individuals we have taken on, please God, more the images and ideas of Jesus himself, we never have them perfectly. We are human.... Our hearts are transformed, but we still operate in human limitations, so the formation of the group is about the humility to listen to one another, and to allow each other to help us remain focussed on what is important, and to help us in self-awareness when those images and ideas of Jesus are muddied by our own drives and insecurities.

I think insecurity needs factoring in here, as a lot of the strong 'holding to positions' are born out of fear, as our our reluctances to move from comfort zones and routines that are actually contributing to our own eventual demise. Insecurity doesn't just hold us back from admitting 'I was wrong', it also holds us back from risking positive changes?

Our sense of assurance needs to be anchored on the right things!

:0) fun exploring this.
Warmest blessings
Eleanor n/TSSF
12:01 PM
Eleanor Burne-Jones said…
St Bonaventure, (13C Franciscan) I think speaking here on poverty:

The hardest thing for a man to let go of is the moneybag of his own opinions.

E.
2:21 PM
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