The Big Picture: Change

by

Practicing Faith

Oboedire | May 14, 2026

The spiritual life moves as Spirit’s Wind blows into the sails of our lives. It is the fresh Wind of change. [1] In this time of awakening, the need for radical change is evident. [2]

Spiritual formation occurs in the context of change. Without it the idea of formation (growth, development, maturation) is meaningless. To deny change is to resist life.

That’s why it was John the Baptist’s prophetic bridge and Jesus ‘opening invitation. Metanoia—the willingness to look at life in a new way and to act in relation to what we see. [3] The Beatitudes generate the essence of the journey; the rest of the Sermon on the Mount describe the expression of it. [4] None of it possible when we refuse to change; all of it possible when we say, “Where he leads me, I will follow “

Spiritual formation occurs in the context of change. Without it the idea of formation (growth, development, maturation) is meaningless. To deny change is to resist life.

Change is rooted in the recognition of impermanence. Everything changes. [5] Metanoia gives us the eyes to see and the ears to hear the change (Mark 8:18). Metanoia is perceptiveness—attentiveness that includes the intention to enact what we see and hear.

This change begins in our heart (character) and moves expressively onto our tongues and into our hands (conduct). As followers of Jesus, we are sent (apostles) to tell others what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20). This is the mystical dimension of the spiritual life. From its roots we practice the prophetic tasks of calling out evil, calling for repentance, and calling forth hope. [6]

Change is the conviction that there is a better way to live  Jesus called it the reign of God (the kingdom of heaven), and from this conviction we speak and act to advance it on the earth.

[1] Steve Harper, Fresh Wind Blowing

[2] Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change

[3] Alan Hirsch, Metanoia

[4] Brian A. Babcock and Daryl L. Smith, Radical Journey

[5] Bhante Gunaratana and Julia Harris, Impermanence in Plain English

[6] Walter Brueggemann,  Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks

The Rev. Dr. Steve Harper is retired seminary professor who taught for 32 years in the disciplines of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies. Author and co-author of more than fifty books.. He is also a retired elder in The Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.