John Ortberg’s (2002) book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People, describes the methods by which all ordinary people may achieve their goals for the present life and beyond. The book is about spiritual transformation, or morphing, which is described by the author as “the inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person (p. 23). ” Ortberg reminds the readers that they could be one with God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. To do so, however, readers must be willing to understand their shortcomings on the path of spirituality.
They must know whether they are disappointed with themselves and/or life in general. Ortberg describes his own disappointments, too, allowing the reader to relate to an ordinary person who has given serious thought to living a life he had always wanted. The life we have always wanted revolves around our personal relationships with God. The author reminds the reader that God is accessible, and when we pray we must bear in mind that Jesus Christ is right next to us.
Moreover, ordinary persons must seek intimacy with God.
According to Ortberg, “Practices such as reading Scripture and praying are important – not because they prove how spiritual we are – but because God can use them to lead us into life (p. 43). ” These practices train people to listen to God. Ortberg insists that it is possible for all ordinary people to listen to God. However, the following conditions must be met: (1) Ordinary persons who are ready to successfully spend their lives with the guidance of God must believe in The Life We’ve Always Wanted 3
Him; and (2) They must actually begin following His guidance by loving people and loving Him, and by healing themselves of the sickness of hurry, as the author describes it. The author describes many ways in which ordinary people stop themselves from following the guidance of Jesus Christ. Ordinary people may be selfish or lazy when conditions require them to help their brothers and sisters. They may also stop believing that they are servants of God by being vane, prideful, and stubborn. Ortberg writes, “We have all, in our own way been trying to take God’s place ever since Eden (p.
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99). ” However, people who pretend to be their own gods cannot enjoy the guidance of God, who knows everything and is therefore able to guide them best. In order to live the lives they have always wanted, ordinary people are required to confess their sins to God. Being free of guilt and shame before God is necessary for the cultivation of a sound relationship with Him. The book drives home the fact that joyfulness, silence, meditation, and an unhurried way of life would help ordinary people to achieve the best in both worlds.
Still, Ortberg concerns himself with the present life when he narrates the stories of ordinary people in relation to the subject of the book. Indeed, the book is mainly about achieving success in the present life by obeying God, e. g. by loving God and His people, and by listening to Him with earnestness and knowing that He would not disappoint us. Concrete Response During the last two years, I have actually tried my best to be Christ like. Jesus Christ had said that if we try to be one with him we may be able to do everything that he could do, and
The Life We’ve Always Wanted 4 more. I was very interested in learning to heal myself and others, as well as to enjoy the life I have always wanted. So, I spent a great deal of time in prayer, meditation, and reading the Scripture. For some time I was truly able to listen to God. I knew that He was talking to me, and guiding me. It definitely required me to slow down to be able to listen to Him. As soon as I entered a period of being extremely busy, however, I lost the connection. As a matter of fact, I forgot how God used to talk to me.
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It still bothers me to think that I do not recognize God’s voice even if I hear it now. Although Ortberg has extensively written about listening to God, I still cannot do it. I have simply forgotten how to listen to God, and there is no way that anybody can remind me about the method I had used to listen to Him. It was and remains a personal experience. Even if Ortberg’s writing eventually manages to remind me about the way I used to listen to God – I believe it would not be possible until and unless God allows me to listen to Him and to know that it is He.
Reflection Jesus Christ had clearly stated that we must be one with him. He was a Messiah, and Ortberg reminds us that ordinary people are servants rather than Messiahs. So, if ordinary people do not have the potential of being Messiahs, why did Jesus Christ say that we should be one with him? If Jesus Christ were living on earth today, the suffering of human beings would surely have lessened. Conflicts around the world are on the increase, and so are diseases. Ortberg The Life We’ve Always Wanted 5
quotes William Iverson who had written, “A pound of meat would surely be affected by a quarter pound of salt;” and adds, “If this is real Christianity, the ‘salt of the earth’ where is the effect of which Jesus spoke? (p. 33). ” It bothers me that Ortberg mentions this because he has not been able to help our world the way Jesus is expected to. Almost everybody can talk. As far as results are concerned, I would not be able to give enough credit to Ortberg for changing our world. Jesus did not write books.
Perhaps, therefore, Ortberg should spend more time in prayer, meditation, and reading the Scripture before he is actually able to influence the world in the manner of Jesus. In my opinion, it is enough for ordinary people to read and understand the Scripture on their own. People that are constantly talking about the Gospel instead of practicing it should reflect on their own spiritual disciplining process. It seems to me that all believers ought to practice more and preach less. Action The answers to all human problems can be resolved by understanding the Scripture.
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To a friend who is experiencing problems, therefore, I would mention the Scripture and the fact that nothing is impossible for the human being who believes and follows revealed knowledge. However, I recognize the fact that most people do not give thought to the Scripture nowadays even as they experience severe diseases. It is for this reason that I would simply mention the Scripture instead of explaining it in great depth, unless, of course, I encounter people who truly believe that God would love to help them. The Life We’ve Always Wanted 6
As mentioned before, I seem to have lost the connection with God that I had experienced at the time I was genuinely motivated to be one with Him. I have experienced success in life since that time. Still, I miss listening to Him and knowing it is He. In the near future, therefore, I would like to spend time in silence and prayer to start listening to Him again. I would pray for Him to talk with me, with the knowledge that He is with me and would answer my prayer right away, provided that I agree to completely rid myself of the sickness of hurry.
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