Spiritual Formation is today's buzzword for what is actually an ancient practice. This kind of spiritual exercise loosens stiff necks and bends proud knees. It works from the inside out, conforming us to the Holy One by growing within us an awareness of His Ways.



The goal of spiritual training is to facilitate taking one's faith into the heart and letting it form, inform, and transform every move and thought. Thus, it's the required exercise program for those who long to make wise and godly decisions.

The Bible tells us the Nation of Israel had all they needed to become God's people, to shape their hearts and minds after God. They had the Law, or Torah, with its stories that declared God's character, but they also had something else. Known as the Wisdom Literature, it consisted of the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes.

I've heard the Wisdom books described as 'godliness in working clothes.' These ancient books of wisdom showed the People of God how to put into practice what the Torah was teaching, namely, how to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength. Unfortunately, much of the power of the Wisdom Literature has been lost on us today. We use parts of it as comfort food at funerals and weddings, as pithy quotes for calendars and trinkets, and in words to pop-chart songs, but as far as shaping our lives-no way!

Often we see the book of Proverbs as being too secular and not spiritual enough. But if the Jewish nation had all they needed within the Torah and the Wisdom books to become all God called them to be-a Holy People set apart for His purposes-then perhaps we should re-examine them.

Proverbs 9:10 tells us where to begin: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (NIV) Much of Proverbs teaches how we are to "fear the Lord," in our everyday life. Fearing the Lord involves humility (Prov. 3:7), hating evil (Prov. 8:13), acknowledging God's authority (Prov. 24:21), and guarding against idols usurping God's place in our hearts (Prov. 30:8-9).

Another key teaching in Proverbs is that we must have the right attitude in order to receive wisdom. This includes a teachable spirit (Prov. 19:20), accepting correction (Prov. 10:17), and respecting earthly authority as training for respect of God's authority (Prov. 13:11-12). Proverbs is the manual for living the godly way, and living a God's way life is the first step in making wise and godly decisions. Said another way, if we wish to make decisions according to God's will, then we must conform ourselves to His ways, and Proverbs gives us a blueprint for doing so.

As you make your New Year's resolutions, consider this. God is calling you and I to a life of spiritual exercise where wisdom is practiced in the day-in and day-out decisions of life. The good news is we have a Personal Trainer who is stretching, growing, and strengthening us till our decisions are molded after the One who is Wisdom, Jesus the Christ. And this time next year, when the New Year rolls around again, may you and I be stronger, wiser, and more like Christ because of our knee bends and wisdom weights we lifted in God's gym this year.

Lifting Memory Weights

To strengthen those wisdom muscles, you may wish to try the Index Card Method. Simply write one or two Proverbs on five index cards and place them around the house, in your car, or at work where you will see them. Then read them several times each day for a week. Lifting weights a little every day through memorization will strengthen the memory muscle used in wise decision-making.

Proverbs for Memorization

Proverbs 9:10-Fear of the Lord Proverbs 11:2-Humility Proverbs 8:13-Evil Proverbs 34:21-God's authority Proverbs 30:8-9-Idols Proverbs 19:20-Teachable spirit Proverbs 12:1-Correction Proverbs 13:1-Authority Proverbs 27:6-Training Proverbs 3:5-7-Obedience Proverbs 25:7-8-Lawsuits Proverbs 17:14-Anger Proverbs 14:31-Charity Proverbs 19:11-Offended Proverbs 23:4-5-Money Proverbs 24:27-Priorities Proverbs 10:5-Laziness Proverbs 14:23-Hard Work Proverbs 13:14-Want/Need Proverbs 21:5-Planning Proverbs 12:24-Diligence Proverbs 18:15-Listening Proverbs 24:10-Perseverance Proverbs 27:21-Pride Proverbs 10:12-Hate Proverbs 10:19-Tongue Proverbs 11:13-Gossip Proverbs 11:25-Generosity Proverbs 12:15-Advice Proverbs 12:22-Truthfulness Proverbs 13:24-Discipline

Excerpted from, Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life by Cheri Cowell, (Beacon Hill Press, 2007).

Cheri Cowell is a speaker and the author of Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, which offers a biblically-sound, non-nonsense approach to making God-centered life choices.