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Dallas Willard, a leading writer and educator in the area of Christian Spiritual Formation, defines Spiritual Formation in the Jesus tradition as follows:
Spiritual formation in the tradition of Jesus Christ is the process of transformation of the inmost dimension of the human being, the heart, which is the same as the spirit or will. It is being formed (really, transformed) in such a way that its natural expression comes to be the deeds of Christ done in the power of Christ.
Willard notes, regarding passages in the New Testament on Spiritual Formation as process, that these contain both an active and passive element.
John 15.5 speaks, Willard notes, to the passive element in the Christian journey:
I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.
*John 15.5, CEV
The analogy Jesus uses is clear. For a branch of a grape vine to produce grapes, the branch must be attached to the life-energy flowing from the vine into the branches. So, for a Christian to produce a Christ-like life, the life-energy of the cosmic Christ must flow through the Christian. The life-energy is called in the New Testament the Holy Spirit, Spirit, and Spirit of Christ. The life-force is creative, dynamic, extending, prodigious, and permeating all Nature.
Therefore, there is a passive dimension to the Christian path of Spiritual Formation. A radical posture of receptivity opens us to the inflow of Divine Grace. We United Methodist call the God-energy "prevenient grace." This means "preceding grace." God is the initiator of all desire for good; all human action that is of a godly nature is a response to God as Grace.
However, John 15.5 implies the active dimension of Spiritual Formation, as well. "You cannot do anything" connotes the opposite: we can and are to do.
A branch acts without the will within human persons. Thus, the human will is addressed in Spiritual Disciplines. These means of action open us to the transformation of will; the process has both passive and active aspects. For example, to use prayer: vocal prayer is active, meditation is a blending of passive and active, contemplation is a passive means.
A story tells of a woman dreaming that she walked into a brand-new shop. She found God behind the counter. She asked, "What do you sell here?" Said God, "Everything your heart desires." Astonished at what she heard, the woman decided to ask for the best things a human could want. She spoke, "I want peace of mind and love and joy and wisdom and freedom from fear." As an afterthought, she said, "And not just for me. For everyone on earth." God smiled," I think you've got me wrong, my dear. We don't sell the produce here, only the seeds."
The produce in Spiritual Formation is resultant of not just receiving; we act. Our receiving and acting nurtures seeds: these seeds are innate potentials resultant of our being from and of God~indeed, all creatures have innate god-potentials in accordance with their separate natures. Then, our being, thoughts, and actions become those of Christ through us, but still participated in by us. They become a natural expression. This organic expression of Christ-likeness is unforced, graceful, beautiful, and consistent with the nature and purpose of Jesus Christ.
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*Material from Willard is from "Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done," www.dwillard.org ; the story of the seeds is from Anthony de Mello. Taking Flight.
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, and their fish, Hope, in Southwest Florida. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and inspires others to experience a deeper relationship with Christ. He advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and the renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons and empathic relating with diverse spiritual traditions, East and West. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry, for all spiritual seekers.
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