A Christian's Greatest Gift: A Fully Yielded Heart
John 15:5 – "I am the vine – you are the branches; If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit."
His promise reminds that if we stay connected to Him – if we remain close – he will fill our lives with the fullness of his Spirit and power for Christian living and service.
Why can't we seem to connect with God like others? Is there something wrong with me? Do I have a deep character flaw or spiritual defect?
SEVEN PATHWAYS:
The Relational Pathway
Doing the Christian life alone for these types is a major downer. These types thrive on relationship.
Small groups, bible study groups, accountability partnerships.
The Intellectual Pathway
These types thrive and are able to make significant spiritual progress when their minds are fully engaged.
These folks can't have devotions without two or three commentaries, bibles, and devotional books.
They gravitate toward classes, conferences, seminars, and special events that challenge and engage their minds.
These types know their hearts will never fully engage until their minds are filled with truth. When this happens, nothing can stop them.
Ex. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Lee Strobel, and Chuck Colson
Once their minds are fully convinced, their hearts and will quickly follow and their convictions are rock solid.
Romans 12:2 – be transformed by the renewing of your minds
The Serving Pathway
These types feel closest to God when they are serving God. Some are thinkers and some are doers – those on the serving pathway are doers.
They feel the closest to God when they are helping to accomplish the work of God.
The Contemplative Pathway
These types guard their calendars closely for over-activity and are drained by relationships and activities.
They can spend almost unlimited time in solitude. Give them a Bible and a good piece of literature and they can disappear for days.
They can spend hours reflecting on God's goodness and the deep things of God. They have enormous capacity for prayer and private worship.
They are sensitive types who are sensitive to the working and activity of God.
Can tend to take things more seriously than others and seem out of step with the group.
They often serve as the conscious of the faith community calling us to ministries of compassion and inclusiveness.
Tend to be idealistic and have rich inner worlds. Can seem scattered at times but are really incubating creative ideas.
These types need to protect their thought life.
The Activist Pathway
These types are best at a speed of Mach 2. They are happiest when they are white knuckled and gasping for breath.
These types need a highly challenging environment that pushes them to the edge of their potential. This is when they feel closest to God.
They choose a fast pace – they love riding rockets.
Ex. George Whitefield, John Wesley, and D.L. Moody
These types get a tremendous amount of work done.
The Creation Pathway
These people feel closest and relate to God best when they are surrounded by nature. They are the naturalists, the tree-huggers, and green believers.
They come alive when they are outdoors next to nature.
Ask them where they would prefer to be for their devotions? It's a no brainer!
The Worship Pathway
These types feel closest to God when worshipping God through music. They love to play CD's in their cars and their homes all the time because they feel the closeness of God this way.
Their favorite book of the Bible is the Psalms!
Ex. – David felt closer to God and most fully alive when he was worshiping.
These types should be intentional about cultivating a spirit of worship in their week.
Now What?
1. Identify your pathway(s)
It is possible to have more than one but most a primary pathway.
Resist the temptation to compare your pathway with other pathways.
2. Lean into your pathway
Try it on for size. Fill your life with friendships and activities that help you grow.
Whether serving, worship, or intellectual stimulation feeds your soul practice it regularly!
As you do, you will establish and maintain a deeper walk with God than you've ever known before.
3. Appreciate all the pathways
Experiment with other pathways once in a while to stretch yourself in different ways toward God.
People who like to serve should occasionally read intellectually stimulating material.
Contemplatives should occasionally come out of their corners and serve with the relational types.
To maximize your growth, lean into your best way of connecting with God, but then begin experimenting with each of the others.
4. Design a Spiritual Formation Plan
Finally, Design a spiritual formation plan that focuses on developing and growing along your unique pathway to God.
Chadwick A. Stafford
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