transformed?

In reading, "Abba's Father" by Brennan Manning, I read something that jumped out at me and has stuck with me as I have moved on about my busyness.

He said, "The paltriness of our lives is largely due to our fascination with the trinkets and trophies of the unreal world that is passing away…Religious dabbling, worldly prestige, or temporary unconsciousness cannot conceal the terrifying absence of meaning in the church and in society, nor can fanaticism, cynicism, or indifference.
When we are not profoundly affected by the treasure within our grasp, apathy and mediocrity are inevitable." (Pg. 118)

Now that is some food for thought.

The opening line reminds me of C.S. Lewis talking about our being enamored with the ability to make mud cakes at the beach. It rings true, we are satisfied with such small things, that at some point we realize our satisfied ness for what it is - overrated.

We certainly cannot direct this to non- Christians only. Barna has shown us all the studies that find so little difference in how lives are lived out between evangelical Christians and the rest of the population. We Christians are just as easily duped into over valuing the present things we enjoy. We all know, or are, Christians who truly believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, but fail to live a life transformed by that knowledge. Transformation is not an easy process that the church can offer a one-day class on. Sometimes we go from one extreme to the other. We either don't try because it seems too unattainable, or we get fanatical and think we can achieve transformation by trying really hard to follow all the rules and do everything we think we are supposed to.

I am wondering how we could do a better job of calling people to a faith that goes beyond head knowledge and beyond behavior modification? Currently, my pastor is doing a series on the heart and he points out that we learn to modify our behavior so as to be presentable, but the things that slip out show us we have stuff that needs to be dealt with in our heart. I agree, but guess I would maybe rephrase it to say that the stuff that slips out shows we have not been transformed from the inside out. I certainly agree with the practical suggestions he has given us for cleaning up the heart, but I wish there was a next step we could be pointed towards as an opportunity to take transformation seriously. Admittedly, I am young and have little knowledge about these things, but my gut feeling would be that spiritual formation or discipleship would be the way to transformation. We need instruction and accountability as to how to apply what we know in my every day real life, and we need help building disciplines into our lives that allow the input and connection with God needed to be able to live out of our relationship with Him.