Participation in the spiritual life takes many forms. Spiritual practices are an indirect way to participate in kingdom living. Much in the same way that learning scales is a prelude to eventually playing a concerto with aplomb, spiritual disciplines work just like that, using the method of indirection. By intentionally practicing habits that open up the heart and make room for God’s transformative work, the soul and the body become habituated over time to the movements of grace, ready to respond with fluency when the spirit blows, or a moment calls for particular kingdom participation.
The dimensions of faith and practice that offer growth towards Spiritual maturity are multiple. Historically six spiritual traditions have defined the Christian tradition, with different ones coming to the fore in moments of church history, as believing communities and individuals have felt compelled to reach out for some spiritual nutrient that has been overlooked or under-realised. These aspects, or “streams” of spirituality are: the Word-centred life (Evangelical); the prayer-filled life (Contemplative); the virtuous life (Holiness); the Spirit-empowered life (Charismatic); the compassionate life (Social Justice) and finally the sacramental life(Incarnational stream).
Jesus of course embodied all of these with exquisite mastery and balance. He was an avid learner of the Scriptures since youth; a man of deep prayer, constantly sneaking away from the disciples for all night vigils, no doubt seeking his Fathers’ will for ministry direction and empowerment for the day ahead. Such prayer naturally opened him up to operate with great spiritual power: the healing love of God flowed out from him, dismantling in individual lives the Powers (Sin Death and the Devil) that he had come to overthrow for good on the cross. He mirrored God’s unconditional love for all and preferential love for the poor, lifting up the foreigner, women, children and hob knobbing with the morally dubious, radically redefining who could be included in the Kingdom. His teaching skewered popular religious myths that external piety could fool a holy God, exposing the way such behaviours mask the selfish desires that fester in the heart, driving a deplorable catalogue of lovelessness. Jesus was also fully alive to the goodness of God’s creation, a great observer of the natural world and what it could teach about God and the human condition. He embraced the good gifts of ordinary, everyday things; meals and beverage which enjoyed so heartily that he was mistaken for a glutton and a drunk, yet through which he extended the radical hospitality of the Father.
It should be said that the traditions whose practices we so often associate with the spiritual life, namely the Evangelical and Contemplative streams, are rightly emphasised as foundational. God is above all a speaking God, whose communication is most clearly heard in the Scriptures, culminating in the revelation of his Son. Scripture trains the ears of the heart, enabling us to recognise God’s voice as he speaks through various other means. The speech of the First Speaker calls out our speech in response through prayer, making possible the face to face relationship Jesus has enjoyed for all eternity with the Father, and so graciously made available through the cross. Thus the weight of our practice rightly falls on scripture and prayer. Nevertheless, we could do worse than to follow the example of the multivalent spirituality Jesus exemplified, by trying some other practices this Lent.
It is worth identifying that we each have our preferred “gate” into kingdom living. My advice is to take up those practices that sing to you, and give them a go, as well as new ones from traditions less familiar. Start small, as Dallas Willard says, and don’t be a hero. Even Beethoven must have started with the rudimentary scale of C major! My prayer is that this discourse of practices is not felt as a burden or lead anyone into a sense of guilt. Consider them simply as small invitations to open up the aperture of your heart; practical experiments to experience a greater sense of God’s loving presence in your life which can lead to meaningful traction in the process of Christ-like maturation.
I have no doubt many will have refined, existing practices that sustain you already. My suggestion is to keep going, and add to your repertoire. Shake the mix up like a snow dome and see what lands. I would be thrilled to hear of your experiments and learn from you. If you have a particular tradition that sparks your imagination and you want to know more, I can suggest some different ways to weave this or that particular strand into the tapestry of your discipleship.
Attached is a printable pdf of some “micro-practices” based on the traditions. They are designed for time-poor, modern saints wanting some small habits that can be easily integrated in the flow of your day.
May God continue to bless your Lenten season
Helena Cameron
Assistant Lay Minister
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