Bruce Demarest compared the Christian life to a two part journey of following Jesus – the journey inward and the journey outward. He said that all to often we separate the two, thinking that a focus on the inward journey will result in a lack of focus on the outward journey. And similarly, Bruce observed that what tends to happen is that we focus on the outward journey of mission and neglect the inward journey. This would be the typical path of an evangelistic church who spends all their energy on “winning the lost.” The inward life is either ignored or left to those who are really spiritual or naturally introspective. Bruce stated that “the path of spiritual maturity is a journey to inward transformation.” But this is often neglected because it requires hard work and can be emotionally painful. So in place of the inward journey of transformation we opt for an outward life of Christian acts that attempt to compensate for the inward journey.
Bruce gave us three specific recommendations to help us on the inward journey. First, SLOW DOWN. “God is trying to get through to us, but sadly all he gets is a busy signal.” Second, SURRENDER. The inward journey is a process of yielding control of our lives to Jesus. “The degree to which we surrender is the degree to which we can be transformed." Third, use the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES. Bruce recommended Dallas Willard’s acronym VIM (Vision, Intention, Means). Willard’s explanation of VIM can be found in his book Renovation of the Heart. With the right approach “the ruts of routine can become the grooves of grace.” It is God’s purpose, Bruce stated, to transform his people.
He concluded with this quote from Augustine. “Be always unhappy about where you are if you want to reach where you are not. If you are pleased with what you are, you have stopped already. If you say, ‘It is enough,’ you are lost.”
Bruce gave us three specific recommendations to help us on the inward journey. First, SLOW DOWN. “God is trying to get through to us, but sadly all he gets is a busy signal.” Second, SURRENDER. The inward journey is a process of yielding control of our lives to Jesus. “The degree to which we surrender is the degree to which we can be transformed." Third, use the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES. Bruce recommended Dallas Willard’s acronym VIM (Vision, Intention, Means). Willard’s explanation of VIM can be found in his book Renovation of the Heart. With the right approach “the ruts of routine can become the grooves of grace.” It is God’s purpose, Bruce stated, to transform his people.
He concluded with this quote from Augustine. “Be always unhappy about where you are if you want to reach where you are not. If you are pleased with what you are, you have stopped already. If you say, ‘It is enough,’ you are lost.”
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