Spiritual Check Up Part 1

1: Spiritual Goals. Have I really understood that Christlikeness is the goal of Christian growth and that God is determined to produce it in me?

Is that my goal too?

As a Christian in my twenties, often this was not my goal…..and now, I still delve in and out of times when I am acutely aware of my growth or lack of it and, times when it seems a distant concept!

Do we check ourselves in this area? Do we ask hard questions to ourselves about our Christian growth?

We should!

2: Nourishment. Am I being nourished on a healthy diet of biblical teaching? Do I want to hear the scriptures taught and to obey them? Am I eager to study them myself? Have I taken as sensible steps to ensure my spiritual nourishment as I have to ensure my physical nourishment?

We are incredibly blessed to be part of a local church where the teaching is biblical and faithful…..I could say so much more about that……I [we] love our church…..and I want to hear the scriptures taught but i’d be lying of I said I always wanted to obey them!

For years I was not always eager to study the Bible for myself or even read it with any kind of regularity…….now though….I am eager to do this…….but, that doesnt always mean I do it……

It irritates me to see how we swing from one extreme to the other when Bible reading/study is discussed or challenged……..we might insist on a system that is fullproof and will ensure we read day after day after day……..like a regime……..or at the other extreme we shrug our shoulders and say ‘dont worry, its fine, God understands and you don’t need to stress out.’ or words to that effect!

Neither of these extremes help the Christian much…we need to see the importance of our own spiritual growth & nourishment before how we treat scripture will ever be altered or affected……

Concern for our bodies will drive us to many different lifestyle choices and eating habits….

Do we take as much care of our spiritual wellbeing?

[This post series was/is inspired by the book Healthy Christian Growth by Sinclair B. Ferguson]

[Part two]