The Cage of Routine

Okay, I'll admit it! I had a ton of fun this Sunday watching folks adapt to the changes in our worship environment. It was especially pleasing to see folks wander about the main space looking for their favorite seat only to be asked during the congregational greeting not to sit back down in the same seat! Maybe I shouldn't be so gleeful but I think it helped get my point across: even good routines become bad routines if we don't change the routine. 

I really like the concept of spiritual formation as a holy conundrum. It's a conundrum because we've recognized that spiritual formation on our soul journey is about establishing holy routines - we call them spiritual disciplines. But as Mark Batterson says in his book The Wild Goose Chase, "even sacred routines become empty ritual when they are done out of left-brain memory instead of right-brain imagination." 

What sacred routines do you need to rupture? Do you ever find yourself moving through holy rituals with a sort of mindlessness? Are you bored with your faith? I'm looking forward to reading and hearing your responses to this week.