Week 4 - Formation Prayer

 Formation Prayer asks not only, “What do I want God to do?” but “Who is God forming me to become?”

DAY 1 - FIX OR CHANGE

Formation Prayer is not self-improvement with religious language. It is not about becoming impressive. It is about becoming more open to the life of Christ in us.

Read Foster’s prayer connected to Formation Prayer. 

"O Lord, My God. Form me more fully  into your likeness. Use the circumstances and interactions of this day to form your will in me. 
   From the frustrations of this day form peace.
   From the joys of this day form strength.
   From the struggles of this day form courage.
   From the beauties of this day form love.
In the name of Jesus Christ who is all peace and strength and courage and love.  Amen "

What kind of person is this prayer asking God to form? 
What desires are being reshaped? 
What would it mean for me to pray something like this honestly?  Right now?  it would be a "fake it until I make it" type prayer that threatens to come across as insincere

Pray slowly:

Christ, be formed in me.
Shape my desires.
Shape my words.
Shape my reactions.
Shape my love.
Amen.

Reflection questions

When I pray, am I usually asking God to change my circumstances, change me, or both?

both - I know it is said that you will never be tested beyond your strength, but I'm not sure He and I have the same opinion of what I can bear

What quality of Christ do I most need God to form in me right now?

Trust 

I am not happy with what is happening with my family or my country.  Why are we being punished so severely?

Where might God be shaping me slowly, even if I cannot fully see it yet? 

Making me stronger and more resilient?  but at what cost if I cannot trust or lose faith?

DAY 2 - TRANSFORMED

Our habits form us. Our anger forms us. Our calendars form us. Our screens form us. Our relationships form us.  Formation Prayer is one way we intentionally place ourselves before God and say, “Shape me in the way of Christ.”

Pray Romans 12:1–2 in your own words.

You might begin:

God, I offer you my body.

I offer you my thoughts.

I offer you my habits.

I offer you my reactions.

I offer you my desires.

Do not let me be shaped only by the world around me.

Renew me in the way of Christ.

Amen.

Reflection questions:

• What is currently forming me most: hurry, fear, resentment, love, Scripture, community, prayer, or something else?  sorrow and despair as feelings of helplessness are threatening to become overwhelming.  And I am not doing things that are within the realm of my control, not controlling my habits.  My ills come from being old, fat, and out of shape - can't do anything about the first one but the other two are controllable and I'm not trying consistently
• What part of my life do I need to present to God more fully?  my lack of faith, which is an extension of the lack of trust, and leads to a struggle of acceptance.  I know God's plans are ineffable and yet I want answers 
• Where do I need my mind, habits, or desires renewed?  I can do resignation, but that is a far cry from acceptance - unfortunately that is where my spirit is stuck right now.  It has been for well over a year now and simply mouthing "God's Will be done" ain't cutting it for me

DAY 3 - CHOOSE ONE

What does connection to (abiding in) Christ mean to you?  

How is it life-giving? 

Have you actually experienced that? 

Have you asked for it?

Formation requires attention, surrender, and participation. But the life comes from God.

Today is not mainly about understanding spiritual formation. It is about offering one specific area of your life to God.  Choose one area where you sense God may be forming you.

Formation Prayer becomes concrete when we move from “God, make me better” to “God, form your love in this specific place.”

Prayer Prompt:

God, I notice that I am often shaped by… my anxiety.  I am anxious for my family.  My two dearest friends are experiencing extreme health issues and I found out this morning that one is dying.  And I very much doubt that the election coming up will be accepted by the party in power.

I want to become more like Christ in…  acceptance - the ability to accept God's Will without judging Him by my standards

The part of me that resists this is… back to the thread of when I turn things over, not liking the results because they are opposite to what I wanted.

The grace I need today is…  peace and acceptance.  To be able to say and mean "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" [which I thought was a quote from St Francis but was written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr]

Christ, form in me… 

Choose one area and pray:

Christ, be formed in my ________.

Teach me to notice when I am being shaped by fear, pride, hurry, or resentment.

Teach me to remain in your love.

Grow your fruit in me.

Amen.

Then choose one small action that matches the prayer.

Reflection Questions:

Where do you sense you need more life-giving presence?

Are you willing to be formed and shaped by God?

It's one thing to say one is willing; it's another to actually let it happen, neh?

DAY 4 - SLOW GROWTH

Formation Prayer invites patience with the slow work of God.

But patience is not passivity. We participate. We show up. We pray. We notice. We confess. We surrender. We practice. And we trust that the Spirit is at work even when the growth feels small.

Pray slowly:

God, I am impatient with slow growth.

I want change to happen quickly.

Help me trust your hidden work.

Help me participate without striving.

Form Christ in me, one day at a time.

Amen.

Then write one sentence:

The slow work of God in me may be ________.

Reflection questions:

Where do I feel discouraged by slow growth?

when I can't see or feel the difference 

What part of formation do I try to control?

where we are going - I want to know my place in this ineffable plan

Where do I need to participate more faithfully?

and we are back to learning to trust

Where do I need to trust that God is working beneath the surface?

if I knew I would be doing it already!!!

DAY 5 - LIFESTYLE

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…”

~  Thessalonians 5:16–18

Choose one repeated daily action and attach a short prayer to it.

I picked washing my hands and using "Please cleanse my heart and spirit, Lord"

Choose one short prayer to repeat several times today:

Christ, be formed in me.

Shape my love.

Renew my mind.

Keep me connected to you.  I asked "Please cleanse my heart and spirit, Lord"

Make me patient and kind.

Teach me to remain in your love.

Let the prayer interrupt your day and return you to God.

Reflection Questions:

What has God been forming in me this week?

What repeated habit might become a place of prayer?

How could short prayers throughout the day shape my reactions?

What would it look like for me to live more turned toward God?