Spiritual Survival Guide
1: Starting Well: Surviving Spiritually on the Inside
As we went cell to cell, there seemed to be some common things we kept hearing. Listening to these guys talk about all the surprising twists and turns in their first year in prison, we realized a couple of important things. • First, real, long-lasting life change rarely comes quickly, easily, or predictably. True change is often slow, tough, and has its inevitable ups and downs. • Second, “coming to faith in God” is also slow, tough, and has its own ups and downs. These two things, “changing our life” and “coming to faith,” are essential to spiritual survival. They’re deeply connected, but we thought it might be helpful to tackle them one at a time.
How People Change (or Don’t)
A changed life. Man, that sounds good, doesn’t it? In fact, there’s noth- ing more that we want for ourselves than an invitation to a changed and transformed life. On the other hand, most of the time it seems as if there’s nothing more impossible. Most of us are already aware of our own inner resistance and our inability to change. Five words pretty much sum it all up for most people— last year’s new year’s resolutions . Everybody fails at this, inside these walls and outside them. A lot . So, why is it we’re so resistant to change? Is it because we’re too comfort- able, too self-satisfied with how we are? Is it because we don’t think there’s any real need for us to change? Sometimes, sure. But not always. For example, what if it were a simple case of “Change or die!”? You may have heard that phrase from your mama, your teachers, your social worker. And it didn’t have much impact on you, did it? But what if you were told that you had to have a heart operation and that you’d have to change your lifestyle afterwards (things like diet and exercise) or else you’d die? Do you think that would bump up the odds of you changing the way you live? Yes? Well, think again. Recent medical research tells us the odds are 9 to 1 that even when it’s a case of change your lifestyle or die , 90 percent of patients recovering from heart bypass surgery haven’t made any signifi- cant changes in how they live two years later. When faced with a clear- cut change or die , most of us still won’t change. What does that tell us about ourselves? Well, first of all, it tells us that all the usual motivators for change aren’t doing their job. Or at least not
Think About It. Talk About It.
1. How do you react to the idea that you still have time and that you and God aren’t finished writing the story of your life? With hope and excitement? With skepticism? Why do you think that is?
2. What different emotions have you been feeling lately? For you, what’s been the most difficult adjustment as you’ve entered into the prison system? 3. Do you know guys who seem to be “spiritually switched-on”? What do you think of them? And how would you describe yourself? Switched off? Switched on, but pretty dim right now? Switched on and shining? Are there any spiritually switched-on guys around you right now? 4. Which inmate’s testimony that you read do you most relate to? Feel the most motivated by? Why is that?
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