Step #4

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Our little band of friends have been talking about how the 12 steps from AA would be helpful in our overall transformation. Step four is a serious step. Can be very scary and radical all at the same time. I wonder how God could lead a person forward, if they took an inventory as to what they would like to be in 5 years...And then go to work with God on that plan with specific action?

Hmmm, I've got a whole lot of wondering going on.

Dallas Willard says that "Passivity was for the Israelites, as it is for us, one of the biggest hindrances in their spiritual formation." and then later he says that "The land of milk and honey was one that was Constantly and persistently conquered over a long period of time." They had a plan. I am relating this back to my last post about vision, intention, means.

Keeping in mind that all of this is born of God...What if I went to work on a plan of what type of person I would like to be instead of what type of thing/mission I want to accomplish? Then out of the person I am becoming the mission is put together? (I know that this is a "no duh" for many people. It may of even been a "no duh" for me previously but somehow I've lost sight of it. Maybe that is true of most things.) My plans and lists have always been about things to do, events, goals to accomplish etc. But never really about who I want to be in regards to Christ likeness. I wonder what would my life look like in 5 years if I stopped and asked God to really show me myself and then with his guidance devise a plan of formation that would assist me in moving towards that goal?

OK - I need to go back and read a little Dallas. If you where Alan you would tell me Merton, so ether way, I need to learn from some guys much further down the path than I. I've kind of checked out mentally the last few years with all of these babies and what not. Now these sweet babies are developing into beautiful children that play by themselves so it's time to dig in again. Yipee - I can't wait!