Growing Spiritually
Spiritual growth in a world defined by power, money, and influence is a formidable task. Our concepts of self-worth and self-meaning are mixed-up. How can we strike a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives?
To grow spiritually is to look inward. You need to examine and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations. Periodically examining your experiences, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, and the things you engage in gives insight on your life goals, on the good traits you should uphold and the bad traits you have to abandon.
To grow spiritually is to develop your potentials. The needs of the body are recognized but placed under the needs of the spirit. Beliefs, values, morality, rules, experiences, and good works provide the outline to make sure the growth of the spiritual being continues. When you have fulfilled the basic physiological and emotional needs, spiritual or existential needs come next.
Seek meaning
To grow spiritually is to seek meaning. Whether we think that life’s significance is pre-determined or self-directed, to grow in spirit is to understand that we do not simply exist. We do not know the meaning of our lives at birth; but we gain knowledge and wisdom from our connections with people and from our actions and reactions to the situations we are in. Our lives have purpose. This purpose puts all our physical, emotional, and intellectual potentials into use; sustains us during trying times; and gives us something to look forward to—a goal to achieve, a destination to reach.
To grow spiritually is to recognize interconnections. Recognizing your link to all things makes you more modest and respectful of people, animals, plants, and things in nature. It makes you value everything and everyone around you. It moves you to go beyond your comfort zone and reach out to other people, and become stewards of all other things around you.
The mysterious power that rules the world
In every God-begotten person, the world’s ways are conquered. Our faith is the driving force that brings the world to its knees. In the end, the only one who will be victorious over the world’s ways is the one who believes in Jesus, regardless of the obstacles that might be placed in their way.
Many of us are asking whether we can lead lives full of victories, accomplishments, and meaning. We notice all of the various distractions that exist in the world. When we look at the church, we see a multitude of troubling issues. We become fearful, depressed, angry, and anxious as a result of looking at our own circumstances. The adversary is someone who is dishonest, predatory, and attempts to loot, kill, and ultimately destroy the good. When we look at it from our perspective, it appears insurmountable. There are times when we feel like we are sinking under the weight of so many responsibilities and circumstances that we want to give up and quit.
Please, just listen to me: the problem is not “out there”. There are no pressing problems that confront us. We work to downplay this, but the difficulties we face are meaningless. Even if I don’t know what the enemy is doing in your life, it’s of no concern to me because that information is irrelevant to me. When you stand where God has placed you, what do you see?
So why are you asking? It’s because, if you see the situation correctly, nothing can defeat you!
Victory and defeat
Victory and defeat are just a matter of seeing what is out there. For the most part, people tend to only look outward and see themselves being surrounded by darkness and their own troubles. They live in fear of “what could happen next” (dread). Everywhere they look, they see defeat and scarcity. Consequently, conversations on government policy, weather, and job market take place constantly.
However, those who possess an overcoming, victorious mentality see life completely different.
I can offer you a small piece of advice: Most, if not all, of the problems you’ve had in the past have already been dealt with. When you realize the solution to a problem is right in front of you, what would your life be like? Had you learned to see your purpose (the solution) within your problems, what would your life be like now?
In this context, the primary distinction between those who lead overcoming, victorious lives and those who are constantly defeated has nothing to do with their ability to fight, but with their ability to recognize things for what they are. And SEEING is not something that they have, but it is seeing life as God sees it. Because what truly matters is whether or not our eyes have been opened.
Stop focusing on your problems when the solution is right in front of you!
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