Your Spiritual Formation Plan - HIM Publications (PDF)

Your Spiritual Formation Plan Copyright © 2021 by Chad Harrington Requests for information should be sent via email to HIM Publications. Visit www. himpublications.com for contact information. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan. com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.® Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. Copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Emphases in Scripture quotations are the author’s. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including icons and images, may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the copyright holder. ISBN: 978-1-970102-44-4 (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-970102-45-1 (Kindle) ISBN: 978-1-970102-46-8 (ePub) Cover and interior design: Harrington Interactive Media (harringtoninteractive.com) Printed in the United States of America himpublications.com  CONTENTS How to Use This Workbook ..............................................................5 PART 1: Your Initial Spiritual Formation Plan ......................9 1. Introducing the Rule of Life .................................................11 2. Crafting Your Rule of Life ...................................................13 3. Identifying Your Greatest Desire .......................................19 4. Identifying Your Greatest Barriers ................................... 23 PART 2: Your Next Steps in the Disciplines .................... 29 5. Introducing the Disciplines ..................................................31 6. The 21-Day Challenge .......................................................... 35 7. Solitude..................................................................................... 39 8. Silence ......................................................................................43 9. Rest ........................................................................................... 49 10. Reading Scripture .................................................................55 11. Prayer ......................................................................................61 12. Fasting ................................................................................... 67 13. Service ................................................................................... 73 14. Submission ............................................................................ 79 15. Confession ............................................................................. 85 16. Listening ................................................................................ 89 17. Refining Your Rule of Life ................................................. 93 PART 3: Your Next Season of Spiritual Formation ....... 97 18. A Seasonal Approach to Spiritual Formation ............... 99 19. Planning Your Next Season ............................................ 103  Appendix A: Rule of Life Examples ..............................................113 Appendix B: How to Do a Book Study........................................117 Appendix C: Key Scripture Verses for Memorization ............. 123 Notes ................................................................................................. 125 About the Author ............................................................................ 127  5 HOW TO USE THIS WORKBOOK M y spiritual formation journey picked up speed when I repented of my sin in a fresh way and sought God when I was just a boy. God got ahold of my heart early and changed my life. Even in my adolescence, God used some of the core disciplines in this book to shape me, the effects of which I still car- ry with me today. My parents had laid the groundwork, and God used that foundation and a handful of other people to jumpstart my early experiences with God. It was God himself who formed me. In the time since my early experiences, as God has continued to form me—and even put up with me—I’ve compiled lessons along the way, and this workbook contains some of the most important ones I’ve learned thus far on my spiritual formation journey. I wrote this workbook for disciples of Jesus at all points in their walk: from the new Christian to the pastor of a church, from the young disciple to the sea- soned disciple-maker. It’s for any follower of Jesus who wants to experience the fullness of God in a fresh way. In Christ we “have been given fullness,” but we are still encouraged to “press on toward the goal to win the prize” for which God has called us “heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Col. 2:10; Phil. 3:14). The exercises in this workbook can help any disciple grow. Why I Wrote This The goal of this workbook is to help you take your next steps with God. I share lessons I’ve learned and offer prompts to help you determine your course of action each step of the way. My hope is that, by the grace of God, you can use this resource to make progress on your spiritual formation journey.  6 Your Spiritual Formation Plan The devotional material in these pages was birthed from my personal experiences and from my interactions with students as I’ve taught spiritual for- mation in my church. The first time I taught a class on spiritual formation, I created the first iteration of this workbook so everyone could walk away with a customized plan. The people in that class and those in the young adults’ group I was leading found value in what I created, so I expanded that first iteration into what you’re holding now. I saw how it helped people to put their plan on paper, so I wanted to make it available to even more people and churches. May you benefit from this workbook as others have. Three Important Influences As I wrote the devotionals for this workbook and created prompts, three major influences formed my thinking. First, Dallas Willard’s books have made a pro- found impact on my life in general, but one book in particular inspired me to think in terms of crafting a literal plan. In his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, he writes about the reality that we are called to obey all of Christ’s commands, as Jesus made clear in the Great Commission. Then, Willard pushes the idea further to say that we need a plan in order for this happen. His statement about planning for spiritual formation should capture our attention: “It is the rare leader or teacher today who can calmly say, ‘Here’s how you do it,’ and state spe- cific tried and true steps actually accessible to the earnest inquirer.” I’ve found this to be true, even today. This workbook doesn’t contain the way for planning spiritual formation, but it serves as a way to help others start a workable plan toward obedience to all of Jesus’ commands. The second influence that drives the content of this workbook is the idea that spiritual disciplines are God’s “means of grace”—ways through which God pours out his grace into our lives. Spiritual formation happens as we practice spiritual disciplines, and these disciplines are key ways we receive blessings from God. The practices I encourage in this book are channels through which God floods us with his overwhelming grace. This grace, poured out through the Holy Spirit, changes our hearts and lives as we participate with God through our actions. We’re set free to run hard after God, the benefit of which is “holi- ness, and the result is eternal life” (Rom. 6:22). The third influence is something I learned through personal experience: spiritual formation is a journey that requires time, training, and experimenta- tion. This workbook presents a unique opportunity to experiment and play as you make plans for your journey. What drives this work-in-progress mentality is the idea that we grow by experimenting with spiritual disciplines. The idea of  7 How to Use This Workbook “experimenting” with anything usually connotes bad behavior, but we ought to change that! When we experiment in good ways with pure hearts before the Lord, it’s difficult to go very wrong, especially if we’re humble and experiment in community and in constant communication with God. I emphasize exper- imentation here because many of the exercises in this workbook assume you’re willing to put yourself out there and try new practices. In the pages that follow, I ask you to put pen to paper, brainstorm, and play with ideas, and for some of you this might feel uncomfortable. But if you can bear some momentary dis- comfort, you will grow stronger in the end. Three Companion Resources HIM Publications recorded and released the class I originally taught that goes with this workbook. It’s now available as a video course called Spiritual For- mation. So while this workbook can serve as a stand-alone resource, it’s not a complete guide to spiritual formation. I’ve written it with the assumption that you’ll use other resources as well. I recommend you utilize my video course—to hear more of my heart for each part of the plan—and at least one other book. My Spiritual Formation video course provides more substantive teaching on spiritual formation as a whole and on the specific disciplines in this work- book. Learn more and sign up at himpublications.com/spiritual. Dallas Wil- lard’s Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ is the main text I reference in my course, and I highly recommend this book for its depth and insight into how spiritual formation works. Those are my top two recommen- dations to you because this workbook was created with those in mind. If you watch the spiritual formation video sessions and read Renovation of the Heart, you’ll be well suited for making good progress on your spiritual formation journey. A third resource I recommend for going deeper into the specific disciplines of this workbook is Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster. This is considered the gold standard for introducing the spir- itual disciplines to modern readers. It covers all the core disciplines included in this book. At the end of most chapters, I offer other supplemental resources for the subject matter of that chapter. These recommended resources can make up for what is lacking in my short devotionals. The devotional thoughts are intention- ally short because the goal of this resource is primarily about taking action. I don’t provide in this workbook the necessary biblical theology, background, or  8 Your Spiritual Formation Plan thorough treatment each discipline deserves, as do the above resources. It builds on those materials by helping you make plans and take specific actions. Three Sections of This Workbook What follows will form your spiritual formation plan in three parts. I’ve includ- ed checkboxes throughout the workbook to help you track your progress on the journey. For each chapter, you will take specific steps. • Part 1, “Your Initial Spiritual Formation Plan,” jumpstarts your journey with the most important task of the whole workbook: crafting your Rule of Life. It also guides you to determine your greatest desire and your most pressing challenges right now. • Part 2, “Your Next Steps in the Disciplines,” introduces the disciplines, encourages you to take the 21-Day Challenge, and helps you formulate initial plans for ten core disciplines. • Part 3, “Your Next Season of Spiritual Formation,” helps you build on your plan from the first two parts and apply your foundation toward a long-term approach to formation. A final suggestion before you jump in: go at your own pace. Allow this workbook to push you, but if push comes to shove, pause and evaluate your pace. I’ve seen how easily people get overwhelmed as they form their plan, so remember that at any point, you can pause, go backwards, speed up, or do whatever you need to do in order to complete this workbook successfully. And remember: God’s grace abounds, and his grace is the air we breathe as we walk along the Way. So press on with the confidence that God leads disciples of Jesus in and through his abounding grace.  Part 1 YOUR INITIAL SPIRITUAL FOR M ATION PL AN Part 1 helps you form the foundation for your spiritual formation plan. Learn the value of creating a Rule of Life, how it functions in your plan, and how to create yours. Then, identify your single greatest desire in life right now so you can proceed in authenticity. The last chapter in this part helps you identify your greatest barriers to connecting with God right now.  35 6 THE 21-DAY CHALLENGE In this chapter you will: … Pick your micro-discipline for the challenge. … Ask a friend to join you. … Choose an end date. … Get started! N ow that you have an overview of the disciplines, it’s time to jump into action! We’ll go through the core disciplines, starting in the next chapter, but we learn best when we combine our knowledge with action. Taking action is vital from the beginning to the end of our discipleship journey. We can only learn to walk in step with the Holy Spirit if we’re actually moving and taking steps at all. That’s why I created the 21-Day Challenge. This challenge gives you a jumpstart on your spiritual formation journey. The 21-Day Challenge is to pick a single discipline and practice that discipline every day for twenty-one days straight. Practice a discipline of your choice as best you currently know how. It’s not about “getting it right,” but about starting small. The purpose is to help you grow in developing spiritual habits. My hope is that you will also gain confi- dence in what God can do in you as you follow through with your intentions. Beginning to build your spiritual muscles early in the discipleship process is important because it reminds you that it’s about progress not perfection, and learning as you go instead of focusing on “arriving.” As disciples of Jesus, we’re in this race for the long haul, not just a sprint. So my goal is to help you cul- tivate lifelong habits, starting with simple ones. If you’re already experienced in the disciplines, the 21-Day Challenge is your opportunity to restart a habit, explore a discipline less familiar to you, or expand your current habits in a fresh  36 Your Spiritual Formation Plan way. Using the two lists of key disciplines from the last chapter, select just one discipline and focus on it for the next three weeks. Practice that one discipline, and here’s a piece of advice: choose a “micro- form” of that discipline. For example, if you choose the discipline of reading Scripture and you’re rusty, then read the Bible for only a small amount of time each day or meditate on a small portion of the Word—whatever is doable for you. If you choose prayer, you might decide to pray the Our Father Prayer (also known as the Lord’s Prayer) every day. Perhaps you’d like to fast for one meal a day for twenty-one days or silence your phone for a window of time each day. Whatever you choose, follow through with your commitment for the next twenty-one days in a row. Here’s the kicker: start today! There’s no need to wait another day to take your next step. While I intentionally chose the number of days for this challenge, nothing special about twenty-one days influenced my decision. It’s long enough to stretch a person but not too long to push them too hard. While this exercise may expose a weakness or two you didn’t know you had, you should also experience breakthroughs, waves of refreshment, and excitement about moving forward with this and other disciplines. If at any point you want to give up, I encourage you to press on and perhaps modify your commitment, rather than abandoning the challenge altogether. I hope you also know yourself better by the end of the next three weeks. Self-knowledge, surprisingly enough, is very important in our spiritual jour- ney. When we’re aware of both our abilities and our weaknesses, our awareness helps us form workable plans for ourselves that lead to real growth rather than mere wishful thinking. Then, as we grow, what was once difficult becomes eas- ier. Proper self-knowledge helps us reasonably and successfully submit to God’s work in our lives. Another important outcome I hope you gain from this exercise is your growth in integrity. Integrity in the context of spiritual formation means we follow through with our commitments. If we say we’re going to do something, let’s do it! Living with integrity means we’re true to ourselves before God. Jesus described integrity like this: “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37). The 21-Day Chal- lenge creates space for cultivating integrity as it offers a practical way to say yes—or no—to yourself before God. So make a small commitment and stick to it as best you can. Download a printable PDF of the Our Father Prayer by going to himpublications.com/ father.  37 The 21-Day Challenge Saying no and sticking to that is just as important as saying yes and stick- ing to it. We can easily overextend ourselves and overcommit, especially at the outset of a new challenge. But as we learn to let our yes be yes and our no be no, we allow space for God to build integrity in us. In this way, we work with God as he forms and substantiates our character. God works in our hearts and through our actions to make us more whole and holy before him. Here are two tips for success in this challenge. First, while you’re obviously free to do more than one discipline, commit to only one discipline for the 21-Day Challenge. That way you can make sure to follow through with that one, even if all else fails. Second, and this can make it more fun, ask a friend or a men- tor to join you. You will likely pick a different discipline than your companion, but start and end on the same day together. Complete the exercise below, tell your friend what you’re doing (even though you don’t have it all figured out), and invite them to join you. Then, go ahead—pick up that phone, send that text message, or initiate that conversation—and get started today! This provides some built-in accountability and encouragement so you can make sure to cross the finish line of this challenge. Supplemental Reading Caroline Leaf is a Christian and a communication pathologist and audiologist. She combined her understanding of Scripture with how the brain works in her book Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013). Her research encourages readers that their brain can change, and her book features a 21-day “brain detox plan,” which provides addition- al perspective for the 21-Day Challenge.  38 Your Spiritual Formation Plan Use the space below to plan your 21-Day Challenge. Which discipline would you like to commit to for the next twenty-one days, starting today? What will it look like for you to follow through with this discipline? How will you measure success at the end of this challenge? Describe at least one minimum measurable parameter of success here. Whom will you ask to join you? This can be a family member, a friend, or a mentor. What is the end date for your challenge? Put that date in your calendar or post it somewhere as a reminder.  93 17 REFINING YOUR RULE OF LIFE In this chapter you will: … Refine your Rule of Life. … Celebrate your progress! B efore we continue, let me pause and congratulate you: well done! The pro- gress you’ve made so far is a grace from God. And for the ways you’ve par- ticipated with him and responded to his promptings along the way, good work. You’ve taken steps through ten core spiritual disciplines, and now you’re ready to refine your Rule of Life. Consider how far you’ve come and what you’ve learned along the way: You crafted the first draft of your Rule of Life at the beginning of this workbook. Since then, you’ve identified your primary desire and major barriers along your journey. You also took the 21-Day Challenge to jumpstart your journey. Then, you formed your initial plan for solitude, silence, rest, reading Scripture, prayer, fasting, service, submission, confession, and lis- tening. Your work to complete these steps will help you refine your Rule of Life. As I mentioned at the outset, I recommend you do at least two drafts of your Rule of Life. Making changes is not only okay, but good! It means you’re making progress in your plans toward becoming who you uniquely want to be in Christ. So redraft your Rule by editing and tweaking it. You can do this as many times as you see fit, until you settle on something with which you’re hap- py. It can be something you keep for years to come, so consider it an investment of your time. While you may make additional edits after this point, go ahead and redraft it now. In the end, you should be able to measure your life with your Rule as a measuring stick. When you are happy with it, put it somewhere you can easily access. You might even consider posting it somewhere in your home so you frequently see it. I created a Rule of Life for my family and we hung it in our room, for example,  94 Your Spiritual Formation Plan to help us remember who we want to be as a family. Whatever you decide to do with your personal Rule, let it serve as a monument along the road of your spiritual formation journey. Use the last pages of this chapter to refine your Rule of Life. But before you continue, I want to give you a vision for what’s next in Part 3. My hope is that your completion of Part 1 and Part 2 has provided a launching pad for your progress, but your journey is not over yet! In Part 3 of this workbook, you will consider how to continue making plans for spiritual progress as you move beyond this initial plan. Invite a Friend to Go Deeper Spiritual Formation Video Course Now that you’ve made important strides on your journey, consid- er inviting someone to walk with you as you continue. We’ve talked about listening to others for counsel and guidance, but don’t forget that you may be that person who gives guidance to someone else! A great way to disciple others in the disciplines is to invite them to practice the disciplines with you. As I mentioned at the beginning, we learn best when we marry knowledge and action. So consider inviting someone to join you in your journey—even now. You’re a work in progress, but so is everyone else! And perhaps you’re further along the journey than they are. One way you can invite someone to join you is by using this workbook and the class sessions that accom- pany this workbook in my on-demand Spiritual Formation video course, which you can access at himpublications.com/spiritual.  95 REFINE YOUR RULE OF LIFE SPIRIT: The heart and will that form the character of my life. MIND: The thoughts and feelings of my life.