A Christian life is a dynamic and organic life. It is one which necessitates growth because life is full of change and challenges. What we knew yesterday or experienced a year ago does not meet the demands of today. Our roles change and our relationships are in continual flux. We not only grow in knowledge over time, but we grow in experience, discernment, and sophistication. Nevertheless spiritual growth is not automatic. We can grow old without growing in maturity. We can be a Christian for decades but spiritually speaking have a maturity of a baby!
In the past year, I reconnected on Facebook with a friend after 25 years. He sent me a note telling me how much he enjoys my posts on my Facebook page (Know His Ways). He was glad that I have remained in faith while many he knew have fallen away from faith. It was a kind gesture concerning my life. However, it made me sad that so many people whom he knew do not follow the Lord in a living and personal way. I wonder if his friends would perceive themselves that way! This caused me to think, “What can we do to ensure we maintain a healthy spiritual life?” This will be the subject of the next few devotionals.
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35
The first and foremost importance in having a healthy spiritual life is a regular intake of the “bread of Life” and the “living waters”. Studying the Word of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, and praying are ways that we can nurture our spirit man. This is essential to every believer; no church attendance or ministry involvement can take the place of a personal interaction with God. Christians can sometimes be so busy doing the work of the ministry that they forget about the source of ministry and the reason we are here in the first place.
The challenge with lack of spiritual food & drink is that malnourishment is gradual and cannot measured objectively. Spiritual malnourishment can go on for months and years undetected but subtly affecting the life of the believer and causing their faith to crumble.
The best indicator of a healthy spiritual life is the hunger for the Word of God and the desire to pray. If the hunger goes away, then there is a great likelihood that we are losing our spiritual health.
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
