One of the hardest disciplines in teaching and training others isn’t figuring out what you will say- it’s figuring out what you won’t. This Sunday as we dialogued through Jesus’ invitation to Peter and Andrew from Matthew 4 -these thoughts didn’t make it into the final conversations- but I still think they are helpful reminders.
Remember: Being formed by Jesus takes time. There is no microwave or insta-pot recipe for discipleship. Apprenticeship to Jesus is thorough and will take time.
By the time we come to Jesus most of us have already given decades of our life to being formed without God at the center of it all. That means that we all have distorted relational webs, deep idolatries, addictions, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and wounds we’ve received AND caused. We’ve gone in debt, made sketchy romantic choices, and scrolled a whole lot of the internet. That’s a lot of decisions that take time to re-form out and heal.
But Jesus invitation is to do just that. Re-form in His image and heal at a soul level.
As we follow Jesus he forms us into something we aren’t yet, but we were always meant to be. He redefines and retrains us how to relate to one another. And he graciously pries our fingers off of our self-preservation and places in our hearts and hands a deep love for others.
But it’s going to take some time.
Don’t grow weary in the process my friends. Jesus is present and is leading us forward. But the journey is going to take some time. ”Come, follow me…”