Pickles and the Spiritual Life

Pickles and the Spiritual Life

Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Gary Arntessoni 

James Bryan Smith, in his book The Good and Beautiful God says, spiritual growth "is a lot like making pickles. To make a pickle we first need to get a cucumber. Then we need to create the brine and vinegar solution for soaking the cucumber. If we dip the cucumber in the solution and quickly pull it out, all we have is a baptized cucumber. In order for it to become a pickle, it needs to soak in the brine for six weeks or so. Slowly and imperceptibly, the solution works its way into the cucumber, changing it to a pickle."

He goes on to say . . . . "It takes six weeks to make a pickle but making a disciple of Jesus Christ takes longer."

Spiritual growth requires patience. I need to slow down in order to address and grow in my spiritual life.  God is in the process of changing us to be more like Jesus Christ, so that the life that we live becomes more of an expression of Jesus’ love and grace.

This process of spiritual transformation takes place from the inside out, as the Holy Spirit brings about a new way of life in us. This also means that we participate in growing from the outside in, through spiritual disciplines, and other activities that bring us into God's presence.

As the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, “Train yourself in godliness, for while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)  Spiritual Disciplines are the activities that develop our spiritual lives. We engage in them regularly, daily, sometimes hourly. They are part of the rhythm of our lives.

“A spiritual discipline, therefore, is the concentrated effort to create some inner and outer space in our lives, where this obedience can be practiced. Through a spiritual discipline we prevent the world from filling our lives to such an extent that there is no place left to listen. A spiritual discipline sets us free to pray or, to say it better, allows the Spirit of God to pray in us.” [i]

Spiritual disciplines are regular activities, usually founded in Scripture, which are intended to facilitate Spiritual Growth.  As Richard Foster says, “Spiritual disciplines are a means of receiving God's grace. They allow us to place ourselves before God so God can transform us." [ii]

In order to grow spiritually we need to intentionally order our day to make room to connect with God.  It is through this kind of ordering that the "pickling effect" takes place.

So today, take time to be with God, and allow God’s transforming power to capture your heart.

Reflection Questions:

#1 How can I order my day so that I can meet with God?

#2 What spiritual practices do I feel really help me connect with God? (Are they practices of prayer, Bible reading, community, Bible study? Or others?)

#3 Is there a certain area of my life that I would like God to work on?

#4 Are there other people I could ask to join me in community as I work at spiritual growth?

Remember Paul's reminder to the Philippians, and to us . . . .

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6

God is with you! Be reassured of that fact!

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[i]. Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds. Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups (San Francisco: Harper, 1993), 95.

[ii]. Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1988), 7.    The word “Practice” is my addition.


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