Progressive Sanctification?

I took a one day personal retreat yesterday, which is something new to me. I try to take two or three overnight retreats away each year to get some good time to settle my heart and mind before the Lord, to plan, and to reflect on life. I had one scheduled for this week but realized that I couldn’t get away for the night, so I took a shot at one day away from everything. We have a family membership at Longwood Gardens so I gave that a shot.

It was a surprisingly fruitful time. I was able to ponder and plan into the future a bit, take all these random thoughts that clutter up my brain and pray over them in an unhurried way. But I also took some time to look over notes from past times of confession, to remind myself of where God has done work and where there is still work to do. The following are some notes from a time of sober reflection after I was brought some correction by friends about my leadership in the home over nine years ago.

Reading this reminds me afresh of my weaknesses – many of them weaknesses from as far back as I can remember. But the exercise also reminded me that God has been doing a work in me, and that I really have changed in some significant ways. Here’s what I was dealing with then - with some brief thoughts (in italics) on where I sense I am right now.

July 1999

I see patterns of behavior and reaction that seem to kick in during busy or stressful times that feed me into sloth, passive leadership, and spiritual dullness.

These patterns would include:

• Anxious distraction – often expressed in being unable to not think about work issues at home or stealing time at home to do work (I have seen much growth in this, but have been experiencing some recent temptations – this is a much needed reminder of the battle)
• Compulsive working or busyness – activity without thought. For example, too much emphasis on dealing with e-mails over things I have scheduled to do. (This one is very much still a challenge for me)
• I reinterpret assignments I am given by the pastoral team or my superiors in light of my own sense of pressure in an arrogant and unsubmitted way. (What this means is that I would be given an assignment and then do it in the way and time I thought was best, regardless of how it was communicated to me. In my recent work evaluations I have been commended for change in this – praise God!)
• Stealing time for self indulgent leisure. Like finding a way to disengage from Jill or the kids to just vegetate with the paper – even if I’ll have time to read the paper later. (This may be where I’ve seen most growth – I’ll never be a Type A kind of guy, but I value productivity much more than I did back then. For me, that’s huge!
  

Bottom line? I am not the same man I was by the grace of God, but I’m capable of all the same things if I allow myself to drift. I’m grateful that I have these lists to look back on – to remind me of who I am in my flesh, and to remind me that I am truly progressing in the new life I have been given in Christ.

Do you have lists to look at from your journey in progressive sanctification? If not, consider starting right now. It will serve you in the future.