What is Shaping Your Daily Life?

 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)

                I have been reading “You Are What You Love” by James Smith. In this book, the author is making the case that we are unconsciously shaped by the influences around us. He calls these influences “liturgies.” In a rather challenging chapter, he exegetes the Mall as a place of worship. He reveals the liturgies that the Mall offers to those who enter in. When viewed through this lens, it reveals just how much our daily lives are shaped by the influences all around us, and how this is happening subtly and is often not even on our radar screen.

                In many “Free Churches” we are leery of liturgy. We see liturgy as dead ritual; a going through the motions without any true heart response. Although liturgy can become this, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, as Mr. Smith points out, most of the learning that we do in life is formed through repetition. We learn how to read and write through repetition. We learn to play an instrument through repetition. We learn to play a sport through repetition. We learn a new language through repetition. So why shouldn’t we use repetition to learn and reenforce what we believe about God?

                Paul understood the importance of training our minds and hearts to live daily for Christ. In his letter to the Philippians, he challenged them to practice living out their faith. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 (NIV) It was not enough for the Philippians to know what Paul taught, they had to actually apply it to their lives.

                We have placed much emphasis on gaining the correct spiritual information. We pride ourselves on knowing the right answers, but those answers don’t always translate into actions. If what we learn is going to shape our lives, we need to work that information into the daily liturgy of our life.

                Dallas Willard has written a book called “The Spirit of the Disciplines”. It is a powerful book that challenges us to develop a spiritual exercise routine that will actually shape the way we live our lives. This is done through learning to put into practice the ancient, traditional, spiritual disciplines of the church. These include worship, study, prayer, sacrifice, solitude, silence, community, hospitality and others. These disciplines, when used correctly, are not a list of rules to be kept, but a set of tools to be used to develop us into mature followers of Jesus Christ.

                Every athlete embraces a routine that allows them to become a better athlete. Every musician embraces a routine that allows them to become a better musician. As followers of Jesus, we need to embrace a routine that will allow us to become better followers. It cannot be hit and miss; it must be consistent and intentional. Just as an exercise program will benefit you only if you follow it faithfully, so a spiritual exercise program requires the same determination. As we incorporate these routines into our daily lives, they will become second nature to us. There will come a time when we don’t struggle to “get them done”, but when we naturally enter into them as the routine of our life.

                We are being shaped daily by the subtle liturgies of our world. We need to be honest with ourselves about that. We need to begin to recognize those influences for what they are. As followers of Christ, we have been called to consciously choose a better way.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)