Transactional Experience or Transformational Living

03 Aug 2016

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I wonder if you ever find yourself skimming across the surface of life, simply letting life pass you by, without building some intentionality or focus in the season you find yourself navigating. The temptation is to jump from one activity to another without rhythm or reason, allowing our diary to dictate our priorities sometimes set by others or running tangential to our core identity and purpose.

There is an internal struggle we must all address if we are to mature in our spirituality and discipleship. It is the struggle between our insatiable desire to be needed, affirmed and encouraged and our propensity to avoid the inevitable tough seasons of life that we might not find uplifting or helpful. I often find myself drawn to experiences that are short-lived and transactional. If only I can get to another event or conference, I will recharge in a moment of inspiration. What happens in the day to day, in the routine and in the mundane is more important than simply showing up and hoping to experience another moment of growth.

I’d like to invite you to contemplate the difference between ‘transactional experience’ and ‘transformational living’. To live it seems is the only true expression of our spirituality. It seems that ‘living life to the full’ requires a deepening of posture and intent.

Richard Rohr reminds us that true transformation happens best in suffering and prayer. He suggests: Spiritual masters are not interested in social niceties or logical build-ups, but in deep resonance. They say, as it were, “Deal with it. Be scandalized and shocked. Face your resistances and your egocentricity and let a greater truth unsettle you.”

This was the prophetic word from Yahweh to Jeremiah, “Your job is to take apart and demolish, and then start over building and planting anew”  (Jeremiah 1:10).

I pray you have the courage to be vulnerable and real. I suggest you ask God to help you transform your mind each day that you have breath, to so position yourself humbly before your Creator for growth and maturity. For our nation needs a generation of transformed lives; Christians who are intentional about being safe and authentic, thereby serving both God and others for the sake of His Kingdom.

Andrew Ball

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