Spirituality does not mean we wear a dusty sheet as our clothing and we eat bugs and twigs for lunch while quoting scripture 24 hours a day. In fact, let me emphasize that the above is not spiritual, it is insanity!!
The quality of our relationship with God is a simple and easy to understand definition of what spirituality means. It is expressed with each thought, action and feeling.
- What goes through your mind when a photo of that scantily clad (and oh so sexy) person comes to your attention?
- How do you react when you find out that your supposed good friend has been talking negatively about you behind your back?
- How strong is your resistance to those instances when lustful thoughts invade your brain and sexual temptation gives you that “come hither” look?
- What emotion do you feel when you prepare to begin your morning prayer?
- What conclusions do you draw about yourself when you feel yourself descending into another episode of depression and loneliness and you long for someone special in your life?
Stop looking for spiritual stuff in dusty old bibles that you read only once in a while. You are not going to find it stuck under some pew like a piece of chewed up gum. And most certainly, you will not locate it behind the façade of hypocritical piety that we put on display when we think others are looking. Rather, our spirituality comes squarely in to view when we are tempted to “slap the fool out of someone” or when we determine it is time to give someone a piece of our mind or even when we conclude that it is time to lay our religion down. The quality of our relationship to God is made all the more visible when we respond to the seductive allure of sexual temptation or when the opportunity arises to get revenge on someone who has done us wrong.
We Christian singles must realize that we do not have to reside in a secluded mountaintop cabin nor eat strange stuff nor speak in tongues to be spiritual. Rather, our spirituality is affirmed in the quality of our relationships with each other. At the very moment when God is the farthest notion from our minds; our spirituality is still close as the noses on our faces. Here you were thinking that you had to have on your “Sunday go to Church” persona to demonstrate how spiritual you are! You mean that even at my worst, my spirituality is on display? Oh! THAT is spiritual!
2 comments:
Dear "Anonymous"
You have asked some questions to which you would like for me to respond. Unless you leave an email address, the only way I can respond is "publicly" through this blog. Let me know your preference: Respond publicly through this blog or more directly to your email address. If the latter, please leave your email address (which I will not share with other readers.)
Mr. Writer,
I can only speak for my journey as a Christian: Yes! I have been through some “stuff” and lately it feels like more than every now and then…and let’s just say at times I have not been very please at the way I have responded to that "stuff" and I don't want to think about rather I pleased God or not. Perhaps you are on to something when you state as a Christian “I do not fully understand what being spiritual is all about”.
The last several months I have been praying for God to fill me till I want no more; I hate to admit my thoughts and burden others with my loneliness and short comings. I have come to the realization I have issues but not drama in my life …I try very hard to increase my quality and level of relationship with God and maybe you are on to something I don’t fully understand my authority and position with Christ so I am reaching for something He has already given me.
No matter how much I hear it preached and others tell me God has forgiven me for my sins of the past, I refuse to forgive myself; if you have ever been a prisioner of the past you will find you always settle for less; never find yourself worthy of much of anything; and you always get leftovers (it is not easy to admit these feelings).
The only way I am able to be rooted and grounded in my spirituality as you call it is through and in the word of God…other wise I am sure I am not capable of doing the right thing and responding from the heart…I pray daily that God will allow me to keep a clean and pure heart and perhaps it is a selfish prayer BUT Mr. Writer this is the only way I am able to be given and forgive; show and have unconditional love even for those who don’t love me; to keep my heart and thoughts good and pleasing …I am just not cable of being a better person without the holy spirit. I agree being spiritual is not wearing dusty sheets as our clothing and eaten bugs and twigs for lunch while quoting scripture 24 hours a day but there are times when fasting and praying certainly does help me to get through “some stuff”.
My thoughts and actions are not always good thoughts and Godly actions BUT I repent and keep trying…but by no means do I practice sin…Mr. Writer I desire another level in my walk as a Christian how do you suppose I do that without reading my bible every day and every now and then putting on that dusty old sheet, falling on my face and pushing back my plate...
I certainly would love to hear more on this subject of "Oh! That is Spiritual" instead of what spirtual is not.
Take Care and thank you…
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