March 14, 2025

There is a Christian tradition among many segments of the faith that do something quite interesting during this season which leads up to Easter. It’s quite simple, really, but it points back to an ancient practice of spiritual formation. It’s the practice of giving up.

If you want forward momentum in your spiritual formation, you and I must learn the practice of giving up. I don’t mean giving up as in throwing in the towel and walking away, but, instead, giving up something in your life to make room for something else.

John Mark Comer, in his book Practicing the Way, says, “We simply can’t add Jesus to the top of our already overbusy, consumeristic, emotionally unhealthy, hyper-individualistic, digitally distracted, media-saturated, undisciplined modern life.”

Formation in Jesus is not about doing more but about doing less. For our American mindset, however, my guess is that we still believe we can just add more Jesus to our schedules and the result will be that we’ll become more like him.

I workout at Planet Fitness (something that self-described serious weightlifters scoff at). Oh well. Anyway, while I’m lifting, I often notice the TV screens running a loop of a program about child athletes who are excelling in their sports. Though the TVs are muted, I can see reels of the kids practicing their skills, playing their sport, and being interviewed about their routines, love, and dedication concerning their sport. One thing that stands out to me is the name of the program I’m viewing: No Days Off. Did you catch that? No. Days. Off. Don’t take a break or you’ll lose. Don’t take time away from the routine or you’ll fall behind. No time to sit and reflect. No time to rest. No time to be thankful. No setting aside the schedule to make room for other things. It’s a dangerous narrative for anyone. It’ll suffocate your spiritual formation.

Rich Villodas quotes N.T. Wright in his book A Deeply Formed Life. “It is only when we slow down our lives that we can catch up to God.” Villodas goes on to say, “Unless we live with an intentional commitment to slow down, we have no hope for a quality of life that allows Jesus to form us into his image.”

I believe that’s why the ancients practiced giving up. In most contexts men and women of God were practicing fasting. This is the intentional giving up of eating food for a set amount of time to make room for God to do something of greater sustenance in one’s life. For our modern culture you’ll often hear people giving up something during the season of Lent. People give up coffee, alcohol, meat, social media, etc. I believe that our intention originally was to sacrifice something so that we may, in some small way, align our hearts and lives with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Ancient people fasted from food for a few reasons.

Some fasting in Scripture is done in repentance as God’s people recognize that they had drifted from him. The prophet Joel records God’s words to his people in chapter 2, verse 12.

“Even now,” declares the Lord,    “return to me with all your heart,    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

The Ninevites in Jonah’s time did a 40 day fast in repentance of their sin. God’s people often fasted to express their dependence upon God. Esther and her royal court set to fasting as she prepared to go before the king to plead for her people (risking her life). Paul and Barnabas fasted before they were set apart for their first missionary journey in Acts 13.

The setting aside of food in a fast, in part, is the practice of giving up something that our bodies need for something that our souls need more. We need God. We need his movement in our lives. We need to make room for the work of repentance, reflection on his beauty and grace, and for anticipation of his movement in and through our lives. But you must slow down and make room in order to join with the Spirit in His formative work.

I believe that White Oak Christian Church, specifically, and the Church, globally, is sensing a revival of formation. Do you sense one in your own life? How can you make space for the work Jesus wants to do in you for the sake of his glory and the sake of others?

Press in. Trust him. There is much Kingdom work to be done, and God is preparing his Kingdom workers.

Taking some days off,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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