Spiritual Formation 05

WHAT: I am taking a class in Seminary called “Spiritual Formation”. One assignment is to write about a page worth of thoughts that interact with content of each lecture and readings or somehow connect with my own spiritual formation. It’s meant to be more introspective than scholastic.

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This week in my Spiritual Formations Class we had an artist come who began the lecture by making this assertion:

While engaging in the creative process for the purpose of Spiritual Formation…

1. We understand ourselves better

2. Hear God better

3. Experience less temptation

We basically spent the rest of the class time interacting with his assertion.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

First, the professor made a very important observation on what is meant by "the creative process". He made a strong case for the inclusion of other things besides art in the term "creative". He suggested that problem solving is an engagement of the creative process. So, anytime we are wrestling with what to do with one of our children's struggles, we are engaged in the creative process. A business man who is implementing new strategies for the company is engaging the creative process.

So, what would happen if we engaged the creative process for the purpose of our own Spiritual Formation?

WE UNDERSTAND OURSELVES BETTER.

I think that this must be true. I consider myself an artist – one of those "creative-types". In the creative process it's not difficult at all to understand how I am involved. For example, if I'm writing a song, it's easy to see what kind of mood I'm in or what themes are resonating with me at the moment. I think that if a person were to make an attempt to understand oneself while in the creative process, it will probably enhance both the quality of the art and the needs or victories of the artist.

WE HEAR GOD BETTER

Imagine writing a song, a poem or a story. Any creative process (done with spiritual formation in mind) could easily lead to "hearing" God. If it's problem solving a touchy issue with your child or your spouse, it's easy to see how God could be heard. Crafting a song or a poem would require contemplation about God, his perspectives or his desires. In song writing I can learn about my current view of God… as a tyrant, as a lover, as magnificent?

EXPERIENCE LESS TEMPTATION

This assertion seemed the most like a "duh" moment. I think that anything that we do for spiritual formation focuses us on God and godly things so that while engaged we experience less temptation.

Overall, I enjoyed this angle on Spiritual Formation. I felt like it validated some of my own creative efforts with writing, photography and music. Even though life is so busy and difficult, I think that I now have some permission to work on my spiritual formation via the creative process without feeling guilty – like I should be doing something "better" with my time other than playing my guitar or taking a photo. Additionally, with the myriad of challenges as a father and a husband, I can take time engaging some of the problem-solving as an exercise in spiritual formation. So, rather than simply trying to fix something or make a good decision, I can engage the entire process as a way to understand ME, hear GOD and experience less temptation.