When I read Paul’s words in Philippians 4:12-13 and other passages where he describes the flourishing life and character of Jesus’ apprentices, I wonder how long it took him to grow into such a life.

Then I think about the short span of time from Jesus calling his disciples to releasing them into the greater world with his world-transforming assignment. In approximately three years, Jesus was able to teach, demonstrate, and impart the interactive life in God’s kingdom to the extent that his original disciples were able to embody it, grow in it, and replicate it in others. In just three years, they had assimilated Jesus’ lifestyle and practices enough to allow them to embody and implement his mission.

Granted, they weren’t perfect. Not even close. Mistakes were made. A lot of mistakes, both while Jesus was physically present with them and after he commissioned them and ascended to his Father.

Yet, the new life Jesus imparted to them, by reshaping their thinking, feelings, bodily habits, daily practices, and relational posture so they could regularly engage with God’s activity, provided enough forward momentum to carry them into a wild and unknown future. And this wild and unknown future had been radically redefined and reshaped through the crucifixion and resurrection. Evil’s back had been irrevocably broken and God’s New Creation had launched in the midst of the old creation. So in three years, Jesus gave his first apprentices what they needed to successfully experience ongoing transformation and to replicate it in others in this new world.

Along with the life he imparted and the world-altering events of the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus also promised his apprentices two other significant components that would carry them onward into lifelong transformation. The first was the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit brings an energy that allows us to “keep in step with the Spirit.” This collaborative life with God’s Spirit is outwardly demonstrated in two ways — through the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit enable us to perform specific functions with effects beyond our own abilities. And the fruit of the Spirit is the very character of the Trinity, formed into the apprentice’s life through ongoing character formation.

The other component that Jesus promised was trials. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Daily life in the real world, especially trials and suffering, form the natural environment for transformation for both Jesus’ individual apprentices and the community of apprentices as a whole. The Book of Acts is full of these trials — persecution, deception, divisiveness, accusations, confusion, frustrations, difficult decisions, and controversies. These were a constant experience for the early community of Jesus’ friends. And counter-intuitively, each trial seemed to provide more momentum rather than stalling the ongoing formation of Jesus’ apprentices and their impact upon the world around them.

The ongoing interactive life in God’s kingdom is lived in the midst of our real lives in the real world. We retrain our thoughts, feelings, body, will, soul and relationships through embracing Jesus’ unhurried lifestyle and practices. We do this under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. And it’s experienced in the heat and stress of normal daily trials. And all of it is done imperfectly, but faithfully, as Jesus’ apprentices and collaborators. And while it takes a lifetime and beyond, the transformation can start immediately and the benefits experienced in a fairly short time.