Trials vs Temptation · What Trips You Up · Measuring Spiritual Progress

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To submit a question for James, Richella, and Nate to consider discussing on Friends in Formation, email friends@renovare.org.

Show Notes
In this month’s episode of Friends in Formation, Richella, Nate, and James answer listener questions about Dallas Willard’s version of The Lord’s Prayer, what things get the goat of our hosts, and how to measure progress in one’s spiritual formation.

Three listener questions—

• Question 1: I've been working on praying without ceasing using Dallas' version of The Lord's Prayer. I like his modern translation very much. But when I got to the part that reads "please don't put us through trials" it made me pause. Because the Bible says that ordinary trials, while difficult, build endurance, strengthen us, help us to build character and to grow in faith. Ordinary trials are part of Dallas' golden triangle of spiritual formation. So why do you think Dallas chose the word "trials" instead of "temptations" in his version of the prayer?
• Question 2: You all sound peaceful,  reflective,  open, yet humble on Friends in Formation! But could you share what repeatedly 'gets your goat' or trips you up? How do you turn to the Lord each time, how do you think you're being formed through those moments and do you (or should you) see any 'end' to that particular niggle. 
• Question 3: Is it possible to ‘measure’ or ‘assess’ progress in Christian formation either in oneself or in others (if we have some pastoral oversight of them)?

Resources

• The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard
• Mirror for the Soul: A Christian Guide to the Enneagram, by Alice Fryling
• The Spiritual Formation Workbook, by James Bryan Smith and Lynda Graybeal
• Streams of Living Water, by Richard Foster
• Renewing the Christian Mind, by Dallas Willard and Gary Black, Jr.
• Renovaré Institute