"The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life, blindfold, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.” [When Life and Beliefs Collide, Carolyn Curtis James]
What does "Discipleship" mean to you? Does it conjure up thoughts of suffering through homework when you'd rather be outside enjoying yourself? Most people have this image or something close to it. That's unfortunate, and here's why...
Imagine you've won a trip to New Zealand. Sounds wonderful, but why? Now assuming you've never been there before, you might grab a book from the library that describes the weather, culture, popular sights, customs and currency for your visit. You need a guidebook to help you navigate this new territory, plan where to go and especially where not to go. You want to make the most of your time in this grande adventure.
Your life runs in a manner that God designed it, in a manner that is not immediately obvious even to you. Your thoughts, your behaviors, and especially your actions need a guide book to highlight the purpose and mission of your adventure here in this world. Discipleship is the process of discovering this new life!
Discipleship is not so much the study of the history of a distant time and place, but a guide to the human soul and how to navigate through the world in which you find yourself.
Discipleship is a study into the human soul, reflected in Jesus and awakened by the Holy Spirit.
Do you feel like you're stumbling through life? Are you in danger of losing your soul in the process?
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You ask, “What does discipleship mean to me?”
The “process,” for so I see “discipleship” as a process similar to the “growing process” we call sanctification or sanctifying grace, entails many actions, many doings, and many beings for me, some of which I may share in another “comment”; but for now, I would be remiss in answering your question if I did not reiterate the definition of “discipleship” that you quoted in your blog entry of March 7 of this year written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and labeled by you as “one of the best descriptions of Christian discipleship that you have ever read.”
“Discipleship—being willing to move on every level, leaving the old life behind, following Jesus wherever He may lead, sitting at His feet so to speak, taking in not only what He says but Who He is on the deepest level of our being, allowing our lives to be reoriented and our selves (our deepest self) to be transformed. This is no small or superficial task.
“Our growth in faith does not happen accidentally by sitting passively in a pew. Christian faith is not something we absorb as if by osmosis from others. Our formation requires not only our attention but our intention. It requires our time, our care, our commitment. Our formation as disciples demands an ongoing disciplined life of prayer, regular participation in the sacramental life of the church, a practice of studying the scripture, of unflinching self-examination, reflection within the fellowship of the Body. Discipleship is a life-long process requiring a life-long commitment for life-long spiritual growth.
‘Salvation is a free gift – but discipleship will cost you your life.'”