Session #3, "Group Spiritual Direction" [Reflections on the Dougherty text]

Session #3, "Group Spiritual Direction" [Reflections on the Dougherty text]1) Respond to David Watson's statement (p. 11) that the primary task of admonition (spiritual direction) is to help another person live God's truth rather than the details of an order (for example, a monastic rule).
I whole heartedly agree with Watson’s statement. I believe that the purpose for the group should be to help individuals to discover for themselves, the mind of God and God’s purpose as they perceive it to be. Focusing on some rule keeps the main thing from being the main thing. Spiritual direction is about discovering and experiencing God personally and intimately. That discovery is a lifelong and ongoing process. Believers should not be robbed of such a wonderful journey by spiritual Paul Harveys who repeatedly try and tell you “The rest of the story”, but encouraged to explore it for themselves. However, most of us would rather not travel alone. God does not intend for us to go it alone and so along with the Holy Spirit, who serves as Companion, he establishes us as the church or Body of Christ. I would say that the “Body of Christ” is the perfect metaphor for helping us to understand how “spiritual direction” is suppose to work. The head of the body is Christ but the rest of the members, the hands, the feet and the eyes work together in carrying out and fulfilling what the head wants.

2) How does your faith and receptivity to the Holy Spirit impact your perspective of spiritual direction? (p. 78-80)

Being receptive and open to the Holy Spirit increases our sensitivity to God’s presence and work in all things. This past Sunday I shared with the congregation that it was important for them to listen to the entire sermon, the application stories, the bible readings, the preached or spoken word and even the words that were not audible. Too frequently, we listen to ministers and expect them to tell us everything that we should know about the text. There is so much that God is saying even during the silence or the absence of what seemingly is relevant in preaching. Try reading a book aloud while listening an audible tap simultaneously. The only words you can hear on the tape are the words that are spoken when you are not reading. Hearing God works in a similar fashion. The question is, are we able to discern his presence, his Word, his will for us and others in all things? It is our faith and receptivity to the Holy Spirit that gives us the sensitivity that we need to help others, as well as ourselves, to discover more of God. This is the kind of listening that Dougherty suggests is necessary in “spiritual direction.” This is also the kind of listening that helps us to build our faith and trust in God and ‘fills us with expectancy.’ That expectancy is not in men or self but in God and his wisdom alone. The Psalmist said, “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” (Psalm 34:2 [King James]) “in his wisdom, strength, riches, righteousness, redemption, and salvation; in interest in him, and communion with him:” Gill, John. “Commentary on Psalm 34.2” http://www.studylight.org/geb/view


Calhoun Text, Part 2, Section: "Practicing the Presence"

My morning reflection:

As I was putting on my shoes and preparing to go out the door for work, I wondered where my feet would take me today. Will I allow God to “order my steps” or will my feet come “nigh to slipping”? I paused to think about what I might encounter and then thought of his presence. He gave me the strength to put my shoes on my feet. I thought about my mother who is gone and now living in his presence. One of the first things she taught me in preparing me for life was how to time my shoes. Not only did she teach me how to tie my shoes, but she taught me how to put my faith in God and trust him in all things. Suddenly I realize that God has been guiding my feet for many years. I feel blessed to have shoes, blessed to have feet. My wife’s aunt is about to loose her life because of her foot. Gangrene has set in her foot and she is to proud to allow the doctor to remove it, choosing only to let nature run its’ course. She is a pastor’s wife. She loves Christ but her foot is testing her faith in God. I pause to pray for her and quickly dash out the door to clean the snow from the cars. Please pray join me in prayer for Aunt Lucille, that she will stop being stubborn and do the right thing.