Reflection in the Christian Life

The spiritual disciplines are receiving a sort of resurgence within the Christian church today, with good reason. As Christianity has stagnated in the USA, a new emphasis has been placed on true discipleship within the Christian church. However, one of the spiritual disciplines which has not received a great deal of attention is that of reflection. Speaking from the Reformed perspective, I believe the reason for this inattention to be twofold. First, our American society tells us to never slow down and keeps us running frantically from one thing to the next. Everything in our lives is fast paced, and any time spent in reflection would obviously be seen as "wasted" time. Unfortunately, this attitude has crept into the church. As church members we are whisked along from one meeting to another, from one program to the next. Slowing down is simply not something we are good at. Second, I believe our Reformed theology (combined in my experience with a Dutch work ethic) has led us to disregard reflection. We have taken up the Calvinistic/Kuyperian idea of reforming all of creation and bringing all things under the Lordship of Christ. However, we have often times gone too far in thinking we are the ones bringing the kingdom, and we have busied ourselves too much in this "kingdom work." By no means do I mean to undermine reforming all of creation--I love it about the Reformed faith--but like all things it needs to be kept in check. So what is the value of the reflection? Regular reflection always us to constantly "check in" on the state of our spiritual lives. We can take an honest look at ourselves and see our weaknesses and our strengths. Reflection also allows us to keep our spiritual things in the forefront of our minds. If we reflect daily on what God is doing and has done in our lives, it makes living in God's presence (coram Deo) much easier for us. Reflection allows us to look for God--in our own lives, in the lives of those around us, in our churches, and in our world. I believe wholeheartedly that reflection is something that we as Christians need to integrate into our daily lives. Reflecting on who we are, who God is making us, how God is working in us, and how God is working around us will allow us to live more fully Christian lives. Christian reflection will allow us to step away from the worldliness of life and reorient ourselves to our Savior and Creator. Reflection will truly allow us to become better disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

http://network.crcna.org/faith-formation/reflection-christian-life

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