Lately, I have been pondering spiritual development stages. Critical Journey by Hagberg and Guelich and Mansions of the Heart by Ashbrook have been two main resources.

Prayer Time Agendas
Prayer is diagnostic to growth. In other words, time abiding with Jesus in prayer deepens and broadens as an essential means and marker of maturing. Solitude is essential.

Communion with God is the core aim – not what is done for him or who I am becoming. The latter two are a corollary of the first.   Formation and mission are an overflow of relationship.

Something shifts within the prayer. Instead of me showing up with my list of things I want God to do, I show up and am quiet.   God sets the agenda of what we talk about. Instead of me filling the space full of chatter and then plowing into the day, I wait.

Ripple Effect
As I have reflected upon this idea, I can see how it would ripple out into the rest of life. Instead of me telling God what ministry I am going to do and asking him to bless it, I may find myself asking God what he wants me to do. Sounds good in theory, but how would that work out 9-5?

There is obviously lots of room to grow.

I am curios to what your experiences are as you progress through the years with Jesus.

May you make time to be with him and caring that abiding throughout full days.