Eradicating Spiritual Virus

This past week I have spent an inordinate amount of time isolating virus's and spyware that have wreaked havoc on my computer. I got lax about security and failed to scan regularly. I found myself saying those huge horrible words, "if only I had..." Fortunately, I lost nothing. I just found my life unnecessarily complicated. The time and productive lost was less than helpful. I find myself wondering after the experience, "How often does this same drama play itself out in my spiritual life?"

Disobedience and neglect of God is like an awful virus slowly creeping into our lives. I am realizing more and more how much I need to spend time in self-examination as a sort of scan of the soul. This past Lent when I used the Book of Common Prayer to help me pray an hour a day, the model included a prayer of confession for each day. I tried to make sure that I did not rush through this. Just the act of saying something like, "I have sinned not only in what I have done, but what I have left undone. In thought, word and deed I have disobeyed You." caused me to slow down and think of the specific ways I had neglected God or my neighbor. The resulting peace I experienced by consistently having this practice in my life is hard to describe. I slept more soundly, functioned better, and most importantly my sense of intimacy with God swelled.

The near crash of my computer system has brought to my awareness my spiritual lack of diligence in consistently bringing before God the many attitudes, actions, and words that are simply wrong. Do you have any type of daily self-examination and confession time that you spend with God? If not, what could it look like? I suggest having something as a structure when you get started. A classic prayer of confession that I frequently prayed during my Lenten discipline went as follows:

Most Merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what I have done,
and by what I have left undone.
I have not loved You with my whole heart;
I have not loved my neighbor as myself.
I am truly sorry and I humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me and forgive me;
that I may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The key here is for the prayer to be a guide for holistically considering your faithfulness to God. Do not mindlessly mouth the words like some magic formula. Read the pray one phrase or word at a time pausing frequently. Consider each phrase and how it plays out specifically in your life. For example, what have been the specific thoughts, words, or deeds that you have done or left undone? How have you not loved God with your whole heart?

Self-examination and reflection will shape you. Over time the Holy Spirit will reveal just how great the gaps are in your life and help you through them. If confession like this has not been a regular part of your life, then I encourage you when you finish reading this post to take some time and try it using the above prayer.

Lastly, one benefit of using a form to prompt our reflection is that often times will cause you to reflect on issues you would neglect if you only prayed about whatever came to mind. Blessings to you from the Practical Disciple.