For all of you new to the Tuesday email: Welcome! We’re in a series focused on three dimensions of life that we offer to God daily so that we might become who He made us to be. These dimensions are our attention, our emotions, and our limits. Last year, I released a short book on this topic, and I’m writing here to work out the ongoing thoughts I’ve had about each dimension as I follow Jesus.
If you want to catch up, we began by looking at common obstacles to life with God (speed of life, attachment, and expectations). Then we looked at the gift of our attention (your most precious commodity) and how it is manipulated for profit. Last week, we discussed the necessity of cultivating a transformed heart. Centering on the why of cultivation, this week we will look at what we give ourselves to for transformation. Borrowing terms from Ellen Charry, we need to form the habit of insight-oriented and practice-oriented efforts in daily life.1
At first glance, one might expect two lists of practices at this juncture. We often think that if we acquire enough information when the moment of action comes, we will compute our accumulated knowledge and then complete the necessary action with a modicum of skill. But we know about a great deal that we can’t readily execute.
There is a difference between knowing about something and being a practitioner with first-hand experiential knowledge. Intellectually assenting to something is not the same as knowing it at a heart level.
I believe there is nothing more practical for life with God than theology and that too many believers hesitate to grow in confidence over their competence in the Christian life because they don’t want to get God wrong. They’re more comfortable hearing someone tell them about Him than learning firsthand.
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