As I reflect on spiritual disciplines it is easy for me to look at them and weed out the ones that I do not think apply to me and the ones that I am drawn towards. But as I press into God and ask him what he sees fit and what I need more of, the picture begins to looks different than what I thought I saw before. Since I am so obviously human, I would rather see my life through a different more accurate lens than one that is tainted and imperfect like those of my human eyes. When I look at my life spiritually it is easy for me to see the spiritual disciplines that just come naturally to me such as worship and service. Since I know that those are areas of my faith that I thrive in, I tend to gravitate towards those to try and satisfy my spiritual life but I leave other parts to suffer. I want to gain better understanding of my faith and ultimately cultivate a deeper relationship with the Father. The first discipline that I would like to spend …show more content…
Although I am not super active within my social medias, I am constantly checking them. I have begun to see the way that this creates an unspoken comparison of my life and the lives of people I am connected with. There is a certain amount of energy and attention that I am putting into my social media accounts that could be better used in different areas of my life. It is difficult to find a balance of what is the right way to fast electronics and social media when it feels like it is such a prominent part of society. So my plan of fasting is going to look little bit different than a normal fast. I plan to only use social media on the week days after 12pm. I feel like this will allow me to spend the first part of my day focused on my time with God and starting my day directing my attention towards Him rather then the world. I also want to completely fast all social media on Sundays to keep this day sacred before the Lord and not put social media before
Horton, D.J. (2009). Discerning spiritual discernment: Assessing current approaches for understanding God’s will. The Journal of Youth Ministry, 7 (2), 7-31.
Every religion embodies a plethora of recognized rituals that are significant to its teachings. Customs exclusive to each religion can include acts such as: attending a weekly mass, praying five times a day at specified hours, celebrating the transition from childhood to manhood, along with endless others. The similarity shared amongst all religious rituals is that the follower of faith must believe whole-heartedly in what he/she is doing or saying. Dhikr, or the remembrance of God, is a ritual based in Islam that does not receive the attention it deserves from mainstream Muslims, and is highly under appreciated for its value (Robson 238). Its myriad versions allow it to be very personal, whereas other rituals are more structured, which is
Ultimately, spiritual formation is a journey I will walk throughout my lifetime and it is one that I gladly am not alone in traveling. My end goal is union with God in His Kingdom, as I believe it is for all Christians. I intend on allowing His grace and love to flow freely through me and show in my heart as well as in my actions.
I have decided to engage in a social media fast for my entire weekend (72 hours). I disconnected from all my social media, which included Facebook, texting, Snapchat, personal email, and Soccer stars. Throughout the fast, I had anxious urges to take out my phone and check my facebook, or any messages that I might of had. I have realize I had developed a conditioned response to the social media. The moment I had become bored for a split second I had felt the urge to check what anyone was up to via social media. I had found myself communicating face-to-face more often, and I had found myself more productive than before because I did not have the distractions. One of the numerous benefits of the social media fast, it gave my
I’d like to state the most obvious observation that I’ve made about spiritual formation; that is that I will always need to be seeking for ways to nurture my personal spirituality throughout my life. I know that to most people this may sound like a “duh” statement, but for me it has truly become a reality and one that I must admit I have been struggling to embrace. I was brought up in a church that, like most traditional churches, stayed happy living in the “comfort zone” of their Christianity. They took everything that the Bible said at face value without digging in to find out why they believed what they believed. I had never been challenged to look deeper into the text. In the past few years I have felt the need to tunnel out of this cave of what I feel is best labeled “Christian ignorance”. In the process though, I have had to come to terms with letting go of the things that brought me comfort and provided me with what I thought it took to have a close relationship with God. Some of those things were tangible. Most were not. The things that were the least tangible actually ended up being the hardest to let go of.
Certain spiritual practices can help us care for our spiritual health. Our spiritual health needs attention and intention just as much as our physical and social and mental health. There are varieties of spiritual practices geared towards different strengths, preferences, and our own personalities. Often times, we find these practices in spirituality and/or religious experience. No one practice or discipline is better than another. How can you tell which one is right for you? If you find yourself experiencing more peace, more life satisfaction, and more meaning and purpose in your life, more than likely those particular spiritual practices are right for you.
When Christians first encounter the idea of creating a spiritual discipline, some almost instantly become overwhelmed with anxiety because they must perform well for God to please Him and get to heaven. I was once one of them and to a point, I still think that way. However, the more focus on the relationship with Jesus and nothing else brings about the desires to want more in terms of spiritual growth. Desires however, do not last if disciplines are not met with a genuine commitment to maintain a fervent relationship with Jesus. For my rule of life, I will pencil in daily life disciplines that fit in the season of life that I am in currently so that God can work in me and I can become Christ like. First, I will commit fifteen minutes to daily prayer with God. Second, I will commit fifteen minutes to daily scripture reading. Third, I will commit to lead, encourage and support my wife by living out the vows that we both agreed to with God. Fourth, I will commit myself to my family in raising my two
As I sit and reflect over my life, I ask myself where have I come from, where might I currently be, and what does the future hold for me according to my faith formation. This was a time for me to weigh the progress of my formation that happened over the years and to see the influential players who made it possible. Within this essay I will use two of James Fowler’s stages of faith to evaluate my own life and be able to see that through these stages I can be able to help develop others faith as well. It is through these stages that have shaped my life into becoming the faithful person that I am today.
All welcoming, all loving, all knowing God, for me my Church is like a an close up of heaven will look . All colors, all ages, all backgrounds invited, souls are saved weekly. Faith is increased every Sunday and the Bible is even reflected on heavier Wednesday. Word Church is more then just a big grey, white, and red building, on the corner of Britain Road, with a big W symbol on the side. My church is a hospital, in the middle of a slowly dieng area. Previously dispositioned as an old furniture store, I am currently a member of, the newly remodeled Word church Akron. This was not my first church I attended, however it is the building block of my faith in Christianity . During the foundation of my childhood, I had my first experience with religion, at catholic and Pentecostal churches
Spiritual formation is one subject that I like to discuss in that it really helps one reflect on their own spiritual journey and where they are in that journey. The devil wants to steal, kill, and destroy any step forward towards God. He is not after anything tangible that we possess, rather, he is only after our faith in God and belief in Jesus. Knowing this is part of our spiritual journey as fighting against the enemy requires spiritual warfare in which the only one that can help is Jesus. A transformation in our character to be like Jesus is essential to our spiritual growth. This cannot be done without being intentional with our time, finances, and disciplines.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” According to Buddha, everyone needs some form of spirituality to define his or her life and existence. Webster Dictionary defines spiritualism as “a system of beliefs or religious practices based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, often times through mediums.” Though this is one general definition of spiritualism, this concept is one that does not hold a conclusive meaning. Each and every single person has the ability and right to create and practice their own idea of spiritualism. From ancient times to present day, the term and practice of spirituality has transformed, particularly from region to region. Despite the discrepancies in practices and overall understanding of this idea, spirituality has had an effect and impact upon all of humanity since the creation of time. This religion that is believed to have been established in the early eighteen hundreds, after two little girls claimed to have the ability to talk to spirits, sparked interest in this spiritual movement, allowing it to spread rather rapidly over many geographical locations. Aside from being recognized as a religion, spiritualism is also believed to be a form of philosophy and a science in which spiritualists believe that there is life after death and try to demonstrate this through the ability of attempting to communicate with those that have passed on. Spiritualism was socially different from other religions in existence at the time because it presented followers with a more tolerant belief system that assimilated the principles and facts from a selection the world's religions. Spiritualism also made it acceptable for women to play a disti...
Growing up I was raised in a religious household, so, of course, I’m a big believer in God and my faith. To me, God is the creator of all and I believe Judgment Day is going to come very soon.The definition of faith is the belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion. My faith and the reason for my faith goes hand in hand because it makes me know the truth and opens my eyes to this world. Also, I get clarity of why I’m in this world which is to make it a better place. But seeing the world as faith with reason or reason with faith has a few challenges and can make things a little bit difficult. Same goes for science and religion which butt heads a lot. Some may feel that the Big Bang Theory created
Islam is often viewed as a religious tradition which originates from the seventh century. An important part of Islam is based on the prophet Muhammad, and the great revelations in which he received from God, according to the Quran. However, it is most important to realize that Muslims do not view Islam as a new religion. Muslims believe that Allah is the same God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Therefore, Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all followers of the same living God. Muslims believe that the Quran is the final and complete revelation of God to all people. It is not easy for some people to accept the fact that God exists when there have been so many throughout history. You cannot also say if someone’s religion is right or wrong or the God they believe in is a “Supreme” god. Why Islam and not Christianity? Why Hinduism and not Judaism? Every one of them different and they vary from one another; they have different rules and are all passionate about their belief. But the fact still remains that there is one who is above all and he is God. God is Omnipresent, omnipotent, and Benevolent.
According to Hutchison (2015), “religion is symbolic patterns that consists of values, beliefs, behaviors and experiences” (p. 184). I personal conceptualize spirituality as a vital role in my life that helps me during a time of sickness, forgiveness, and needed guidance. Spirituality helps guide me throughout life during the difficult times I have encountered. Spirituality impacts my life in positive ways that influence and regulate my behavior and health. Health is very important to me; I believe the spirit can heal a person from their sickness. It seems that the spirit heals me every time I pray to be healed from sickness. The spirit gives me strength at a time of weakness. When I feel at my lowest point in life I call on the spirit to pick
Spirituality can have many different definitions, depending on who is asked. It can be something as simple as looking for a higher meaning to life, or something so complex that one can base their beliefs, religion and overall life around it. There are several different ways to express one's spirituality; rituals, songs, dances, stories, and writings are all common methods of expression.