Renewing us day by day

I have been thinking about the nature of our Spiritual renewal in preparation for the the things I will say at the St Jude's Leaders Summit next weekend.

The idea comes from 2 Corinthians 3:18: And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

That is - as followers of Christ we are in a process of transformation into the likeness of Christ and this is the work of the Spirit of God in us. It is a spiritual work of renewal.

I came across this lovely quote that expresses the depth of what is happening:

“the long and intricate, daily business of formation in Christ – that is, the practice of the dispositions and habits of the heart that changes our word spirituality from a wish or a desire or a fantasy or a diversion, into an actual life lived to the glory of God.”

Growing in Christ is not automatic. It is brought on by discipline and determination and repentance, and surrendering to the work of the Spirit in us. Keeping in step with the Spirit. (See Gal 5:25).