For information about how giving thanks make life simpler, check out this article posted on Compass: A Spiritual Formation Newsletter.
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An Invitation to Turn the Idea into a Practice
The more I explore the landscape of spiritual formation, I increasingly recognize the significance of translating theory into action. While it is valuable to explore the key concepts related to biblical and Christian spiritual formation, these ideas should not merely be subjects of discussion or admiration. Instead, these concepts are meant to be integrated into our daily practices and lived out as part of our lifestyle. It is through the act of practicing that these ideas acquire their true transformative potential.
I would like to invite you to make gratitude a part of your day by taking action. This practice, which I have named Eucharist-O, is a playful adaptation of the Greek word eucharisteo, used by the gospel writer Luke to describe what Jesus did during the last supper with his companions. Before he made the ultimate sacrifice for our spiritual freedom, he took bread and eucharisteo — he expressed his thanks. This is your chance to practice the natural and profound way Jesus embodied gratitude, unaffected by the trials he faced.
The rhythm of this practice is simple:
First, a centering word about thankfulness and gratefulness
Second, a centering scripture
Third, an invitation to be still for a few moments before returning to the day’s activities.
The Eucharist-O for Tuesday, November 12, 2024
First: A Centering Word
What to do: read Beecher’s sentence three or four times. Pause and breath between each reading. Pay attention to what draws your attention. What are you seeing? What are you believing? What are you doubting?
Next: Read Psalm 100:4-5
What to do: Read the scripture words three or four times. Read slowly. Pause between reading. Pay attention to what is stirring inside of you. What are you seeing? What are you believing? What are you doubting? What are you feeling? What questions are being raised?
Next: Be Still
What to do: Before returning to your full day, sit in stillness for a few moments. Your soul and imagination were possibly drawn to a word by Beecher or by the author of Psalm 100. Perhaps you were drawn to a moment in your life where you regret not being thankful. Maybe you were drawn to a situation that seemed too hard for you. Wherever you were drawn, be there for a few moments. Pay attention to the stirrings deep within, the questions that are forming, the words that want to be spoken. Give your soul the gift of a few moments of stillness to let memories, questions, words, and prayers form.
Before returning to your day, let what is stirring inside become a conversation with God. The conversation, whatever its mood, is a form of prayer and communication with God who has been waiting for this moment all day.
Eucharist-O