Building Spiritual Muscle Memory for Real Life

Blog by Gem Fadling

We talk a lot about spiritual practices here at Unhurried Living. But we never recommend practices as ends in themselves. Prayer, journaling, scripture reading, sung worship and Sabbath are not the goal. They are ways of opening our hearts to the presence of our Creator. They are simply the finger pointing to the moon, the stepping stones that remind us we are already in the presence of God.

I hope this reminder feels like grace. Many of us carry a loud inner critic that shames us for what we are doing or not doing in our spiritual lives. But when we remember that our aim is simply to receive God’s love for this day, this week or even this moment, our whole perspective begins to shift.

Recently, I stumbled upon a fascinating video of a U.S. Navy Blue Angels Preflight Brief. At first glance, it might seem unrelated to spiritual practices. But trust me, it connects.

Here’s the video’s description:

“A rare look inside the Blue Angels pre-flight briefing room at NAS Pensacola on July 7, 2021, as the pilots prepare for a practice flight. Watch the pilots ‘chair fly’ during the brief to simulate maneuvers done airborne.”

When you have a moment, take a look and then come back here. (The clip begins at minute 00:59. Even just watching for about one minute will give you the feel.)

When I watched it, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. The pilots acted as if they were already airborne. Their pens traced routes across the map. Their eyes closed while they visualized terrain and body movements. Their hands and arms moved as though adjusting controls. All of this happened while sitting around a conference table.

Because I love a good metaphor, my mind immediately shifted to the spiritual life. How might I “chair fly” as I practice being a present human in this world?

Spiritual practices are never the final destination. God is both our position and our destination. So when I pray, read, rest or keep a Sabbath, I am training my heart, mind and body to recognize how to think, feel and respond. It is preparation for both engagement and disengagement. God has given us the gift of a holy downshift, yet many of us rarely practice receiving it.

Think of prayer as visualizing what God has for you and then, through you, for others. You are preparing your soul for its own well-being, then for your relationships and work.

Spiritual practices are not soft skills. They are not rules to earn approval or badges of achievement. They are the formation of spiritual muscle memory. Just as the Blue Angels cannot improvise a high-speed roll, we cannot improvise presence, focus, empathy or wise counsel.

These ways of being are cultivated over time through practice, repetition and grace.

This is one of the core reasons we created PACE. We practice spiritual formation and leadership together so you can be prepared for whatever arises in your life, relationships, work and ministry.

This steady commitment is a kind of holy tenacity. It undergirds our spiritual practices and our growing connection with God. I have shared this Dallas Willard quote before, and it continues to ring true for me:

“All the church needs to fulfill Christ’s purpose on earth is the quality of life he makes real in the life of his disciples.”

And that quality of life begins off stage, in the quiet places, when we are “chair flying.”

It is not about increasing the number of quiet times. It is about sinking into God’s love as we are. As we practice what brings health to our hearts, minds and bodies, we build the spiritual muscle memory we will draw upon when we are out in the field of our lives. This is what allows us to offer something substantial, grounded and loving to others. It may even help us do so without anxiety or exhaustion.

The Blue Angels may seem like an unlikely pairing with the reflections of a spiritual director. Their practice is intense. But I long to bring at least that much intention to living in the unhurried way of Jesus.

Willard said it beautifully:

“The path of spiritual growth in the riches of Christ is not a passive one. Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning. Effort is action. Earning is attitude. You have never seen people more active than those who have been set on fire by the grace of God.” (CHRISTIAN HERALD (U.K.) 14 APRIL 2001.)

I do not earn love or grace. I have already received them. What I am doing is making the effort to remember who I am and whose I am. From that place, I allow the burning flame of divine love to shape how I serve others with gladness and singleness of heart.

Reflection 

• What did you notice or feel as you watched the intensity of the Blue Angels’ preparation?
• What might it look like for you to intentionally practice what your soul needs most: rest, play, Sabbath, prayer or something else?
• What is the current quality of your life? What do you desire it to be?