Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT
Have you had an annual checkup lately? Now that I am officially a senior adult, there is a reflective thought that comes to my mind every time I have a check-up session. Each season of life, beginning with birth, provides a checklist for what is appropriate at that point in time to indicate health and warning signs that something is not occurring as it should. There are a few items that vary as we grow and develop, but certain basics remain the same.
I see the same dynamic in our spiritual health. At different times and in varied seasons of our lives, some traits and practices are appropriate for our thriving that might not be so vital at other times. But some elements of health are standard in all phases of life. Perhaps now might be time to start your regular checkups.
Here are a few traits that indicate spiritual health:
1. I know my purpose in life, and it is the driver for my daily activity.
2. I regularly nurture myself with God’s Word and prayer.
3. I worship and fellowship with other Jesus followers regularly.
4. I practice quick forgiveness.
5. Gratitude is one of my most natural and noticeable responses.
6. I actively serve Jesus by serving others. I am generous and trustworthy.
7. Repentance is my lifestyle – when I become aware that I have stepped outside of Jesus-like behavior, I quickly repent to God and whomever I wronged.
8. My default attitude is to trust God in everything.
9. The words I speak are life giving and building, not destroying.
10. My private life matches what my public life portrays.
- What other health indicators come to mind? What in your quick exam today indicates attention is needed for true health? What will you do about it?