Spiritual formation will look different for different people—and that's okay.
When I think about my own spiritual formation, one of the things that's been helpful for me to remember is that people of different personalities approach spiritual growth differently. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
For instance, I am wired very differently than my wife, Donna. I'm a "get stuff done, change the world now," type of personality. I have much more of an “activist” personality. Donna, on the other hand, has a much more contemplative personality. She is more likely to consider her actions for a while before she makes them, and this has made her naturally more prayerful than myself.
For example, when the weather is warm, Donna will bike over to the nearby park with her Bible and just sit there. In that environment, it is natural for her to engage in prayer and reflection. That's not as natural for me. Some people are more like me and some are going to be more like Donna. In fact, there's a whole continuum of personality; from the more contemplative to the more activist.
Jet fuel drinkers and candle lighters and everyone in between
Mindy Caliguire leads a ministry called SoulCare, which provides coaching and spiritual direction for weary ministryn leaders. She is a key partner with the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center’s Resilient Church Leadership initiative. Mindy has worked in a lot of places with get-it-done people, people like myself. She calls people like that jet fuel drinkers. They are constantly on the go, often burning the candle at both ends.
That's one side of the spectrum.
The other side, using Mindy’s terms, is the candle lighter. The candle lighter moves a bit slower. Things might not happen as fast, but they also might happen more deliberately. ...
from Christianity Today Magazine
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