If your faith is being stretched to its limit, I encourage you to gather prayer partners and talk with friends before giving up. Are you ready to quit? Maybe your church role has drained you to the point you wonder if it’s worth the effort.Only God can give us this kind of love for His bride, especially when the church is problematic. In between, though, he described them as a mess. 1:4-9) and expressed his love for them in his closing (1 Cor. Do you really love God’s church? Paul thanked God for the Corinthians at the beginning of his letter to them (1 Cor.Then, the anguish of such sin is only deepened by the efforts we expend trying to keep it covered up. Are you hiding anything? Hiddenness is usually a sign the enemy is winning in one’s life.5:25), to the point of being willing to die? Would your spouse agree with your response to that question? If you’re married, does your marriage reflect the love of Jesus for His church? Do you love your spouse sacrificially (Eph. That kind of praying misses the point of being in a relationship with God. Prayer is not in our DNA it is only our response when we face something we can’t handle. Do you pray only when you have to? Many of us pray more reactively than proactively.On the other hand, what bloggers have to say is nothing compared to the Word of God. Do you read more blog posts than you do the Bible? Obviously, I tread softly here, as I’m deeply grateful you’re reading this post.Obedience here is especially important in this election season. Think about those for whom you might pray: school officials, bosses, mayors, governors, the president. Do you pray regularly for leaders? Regardless of our political positions, we are mandated to pray for those in authority (1 Tim.Even our prayer for them is surface-level if we don’t know them. Do you know your neighbors and co-workers? It’s easy to be so “on the go” that we know our neighbors and co-workers on only a superficial basis, if we know them at all – which makes it difficult to share Christ with them.Would your checkbook show you prioritize God’s kingdom? Any sacrifice so others may know Jesus is no sacrifice at all. Does your budget reflect a commitment to God’s work? I know it sounds trite, but what we give toward God’s work really does have eternal dividends.If other believers heard everything you said last week, would your witness be strengthened or harmed? Does your daily talk reflect godliness? It’s hard to read Ephesians 5:4 (“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving”) without evaluating our daily conversations.The cost, in fact, is serious as it harms our relationship with God. So, while we may think our anger is justified, it only hurts us to stay bitter. Do you need to forgive someone? Jesus is clear that if we don’t forgive others, the Father does not forgive us (Matt.Then, review the questions in this post to look at your life at an even deeper level. Consider if there is an image, piece of music, a word or a phrase, that would describe how life has been like lately.At this time last year, I wrote a post on “ 10 Questions for a Six-Month Spiritual Checkup.” If you haven’t done a spiritual self-reflection yet this year, I encourage you to take time to read those previous questions and analyze your spiritual life today.As I review recent experiences and learning in my life, I notice….The suggestions below may help you in this process and work as springboards to your self-reflection: Allow some time to write down in a journal significant things which come to mind.įirst simply notice “how do I come to this time of prayer and reflection today?”Īfter giving some time to that first question, consider “what is my desire of God at this time?” Start this time by giving a little attention to your posture and breathing, allowing yourself to come to a place of stillness - spiritually attentive and receptive. This requires time and attention - so aim to set aside an extended period of time to this exercise where you look back over the recent weeks of your life.īegin with a few minutes of silence. Self-reflection can also help when deciding what to bring to a time of spiritual direction. It can also be helpful before meeting for spiritual direction. A regular practice of journaling can provide a space for you to record your spiritual journey - recording your prayers, requests, interior movements and insights Spending time in self reflection can play a significant role in your spiritual journey.
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