Spiritual Health

What’s your spiritual temperature these days? Unless you are really good at lying to yourself, you can gauge fairly accurately. Suppose you run into a friend at the grocery store. You say, hello, ask about the family, tell them how busy you’ve been and walk away feeling like you’ve had a pretty decent encounter.

Now imagine instead of asking about the family, you asked how they were doing spiritually. Granted, some people may tell you in no uncertain terms that it is none of your blankity-blank business but my guess is that most would look at you as if you’ve lost your mind. I’ve actually asked this of people before, so I am sharing how it was received, this isn’t just my opinion. If it were, I would tell you.

The ‘blankity-blank’ people have already told you how they are spiritually with their response. That would be your clue to add them to your prayer list.

Those in shock by your question would fall into a few different categories. Some would offer up religious platitudes and speak Christian-eze to you. Those people always make me wonder. In some cases they just do not know how to respond so they fall back on the familiar religious responses.

It is important to note that asking how someone is doing spiritually is not the same as asking for their laundry list of woes and troubles. Granted, that's what many will give you. It is asking instead about their relationship with the Lord. Do they feel close and able to cry out to Him or do they feel disconnected at the moment. Some people pull away from the Lord when they are struggling, their spiritual temperature would be a cool 98.0......Sometimes I feel I can reach out and touch Him, other times I know I am withdrawing when I feel alone and hurting.

The majority, most especially the Christians, will tell you they are good and leaning on the Lord in all things. Some people are touched that you would even think to ask and, after the surprise wears off, they may share that they are struggling and ask you to pray for them. The ones that really know and trust you will not be hesitant to ask for help. They will share their burdens if they know they can trust you. Again, this is not asking for their worldly troubles. It is the relationship connection we are speaking of here.

It is very difficult to be transparent with people, even other Christians, about where we are spiritually. I know this to be fact because God gave me the task of being transparent in my writing of this blog. He showed me I am to use the lessons He teaches me through this medium. I have to say, it is a struggle to lay bare my weaknesses, failures and blunders before your eyes on a regular basis. I would be doing us both a disservice if I appeared to have it all together spiritually speaking. I would not be the woman of integrity I aspire to be and my testimony would be worthless.

I have a dear friend that once told me he preferred a devotional that just told him something he could take with him and didn’t make him think. Wow! Needless to say, he doesn’t get my devotionals! God makes me think all the time and I am to share with you. So I am asking you, as someone that genuinely cares, how are you doing spiritually today? Something to ponder.