my spiritual journey with god

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Bible Verses About Journey

What does the bible say about journey.

Have you recently trusted in Christ alone for salvation? Now it’s time to start your journey. Your Christian journey will not be easy, but God will give you strength to press on daily and overcome any situation. God promises to work in your life until the end to make you more like Christ. The Christian life is like a huge adventure with Christ.

25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Journey

You might have to take a few pit stops, you might get a flat tire here and there, you might go through a few thunderstorms , but though all your experiences, fruit is being built. You are becoming stronger, and your faith and reliance in Christ is growing.

God will take out bad habits and sin from our life. God has given us various things to help us on our journey such as prayer. We must spend time with the Lord daily . We are to have an intimate relationship with God. We are given the Bible to help us walk uprightly.

Scripture will help us connect and focus on the Lord. It will protect us from many different situations in life and give us daily wisdom. God has given believers the Holy Spirit to help us on our walk of faith. He will guide us in the right direction.

He will show us what to do. He will convict us when we’re going the wrong way. He will show us things in our lives that are holding us back and more.

We can also pray to the Spirit for help, peace, and comfort in times of trouble. We might be in the world, but we are not to follow the worlds desires. Allow your journey to glorify God.

Christian quotes about journey

“ My life is my journey with God . It may be hard sometimes but I am assured it would be all worth it.”

“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”

“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”

Trust in the Lord on your long journey.

1. Proverbs 3:5– 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart , and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.

2. Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord , and whose hope the Lord is.

Journey of life with God

God will work in your life to conform you into the image of Christ. The little things that you might go through are to help change you.

3. Romans 8:29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son , so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers .

4. Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

5. 2 Peter 3:18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

6. Colossians 2:6-7 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

You will have to go through many trials and different obstacles.

7. James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance . But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

8. Romans 5:3-5 Not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Now this hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

9. John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

10. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Press on with your journey of faith

11. Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Keep your eyes on your captain or you will get lost and distracted.

12. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You will not get through your walk of faith without prayer.

13. Luke 18:1 Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up.

14. Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit , and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints .

God gave you a helper. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life and guide your life.

15. John 14:16 I will ask the Father to give you another Helper , to be with you always.

16. Romans 8:26 At the same time the Spirit also helps us in our weakness , because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words.

Meditate on the Word: Allow God to guide you through His Word.

17. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

18. Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Imitate Christ and do the will of God.

19. Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do , and he will establish your plan.

20. John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “ My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

On our journey we must continually avoid Satan, confess our sins, and forsake them.

21. Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to s tand firm against all strategies of the devil.

22. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

23. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Examples of journey in the Bible

24. Jonah 3:2-4 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

25. Judges 18:5-6 Then they said, “Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful.” “ Go in peace,” the priest replied. “For the LORD is watching over your journey.”

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God . I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

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7 Steps to a Closer Walk With God

When you think about climbing a mountain, what comes to mind? Do you envision breathtaking vistas from the mountaintop or breathless wheezing along the way? As different as they are, both perspectives capture aspects of the same journey. Reaching the summit requires grit and determination. Spiritual growth is no different. It demands perseverance, but the view from the top is out of this world.

No one has helped us think of the spiritual life as a journey more than a seventeenth-century English repairman named John Bunyan . Drawing only on the Bible and his own spiritual journey, Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress while imprisoned for his non-conformist preaching in 1675. Published in 1678, this allegory of the Christian’s journey to heaven remains one of the most popular religious works among English readers.

In Pilgrim’s Progress , Christian makes his way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. The story represents a journal of his starts and stops, his ups and downs, his victories and defeats. If you have not read this classic of Christian literature, you must! Not only will you see the Christian life as a journey, but you will discover how to make it a holy and intimate one as well.

Beginning the Journey

Borrowing John Bunyan’s metaphor, let’s consider the Christian life as a walking journey—growing closer to God while journeying toward God. He is both the destination and the way at the same time (John 14:6). There are stepping stones we must use if we are going to have a closer walk with God, steps we must take to enjoy spiritual intimacy with Him. To picture those steps, consider one of America’s most beautiful settings— Grandfather Mountain near Linville, North Carolina . I’ve been privileged to speak at an annual Gospel festival held at the base of Grandfather Mountain, and it is almost as near to heaven-on-earth as one can get. The beauty is heavenly, as is the altitude—over 4,600 feet. While not as high as many mountains, Grandfather towers over the neighboring Blue Ridge peaks in that part of western North Carolina.

Meme: Consider the Christian life as a walking journey--growing closer to God while journeying toward God.

To get from the meadows to the top of Grandfather Mountain where the ferocious winds howl day and night through the swinging bridge, you can drive or hike a switchback trail. We’re going to hike the trail because it’s such a perfect metaphor for the steps we must take to achieve intimacy with God while journeying toward Bunyan’s Celestial City, our heavenly home.

Step One: Choose a Heavenly Destination

First, we need a DESTINATION . That’s simple—we’re at the bottom of Grandfather Mountain, and we want to reach the top. There’s no easy way to do it. It’s one step at a time over tree roots, fog-slick rocks, and time-worn footholds.

But what about the spiritual journey? John Bunyan had it right: Every person alive is born into the City of Destruction and will stay there unless he changes destinations (Romans 3:23). You can make that change by asking Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and give you the gift of eternal life , which He has promised to do (John 3:16). Intimacy with God, both now and for eternity, can be found in no other way.

Step Two: Follow God’s Map

Once we start up the mountain, we need a MAP to avoid wandering off the trail. Fortunately, on the Grandfather Mountain trail, there aren’t many ways to get lost. Your only concern is to continue climbing up. Just as there is only one way to the peak, there is only one way to heaven. And the Bible is the map that points the way.

The psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105), and Paul said God’s Word would thoroughly equip anyone who would study it diligently (2 Timothy 3:17). God has so many blessings for those who will seek Him, blessings discovered only in His Word. You would be more likely to succeed climbing Grandfather Mountain with blinders on than journeying toward God without studying the Bible.

Step Three: Seek Direction

Because the trail to the top of Grandfather Mountain doesn’t intersect with other trails, DIRECTIONS are rarely necessary. Even so, you’ll have questions: Is there water along the way? How much further is it to the top? Is it worth it? What will we see when we get there? Experienced hikers, and especially those on their way down from the top, can provide the assurance we need.

Unlike the Grandfather Mountain trail, there are many ways to wander off course in your spiritual journey. First, your enemy, the devil, is out to make things as confusing and difficult as possible. He switches the directional signs, tells you lies, and sends you down rabbit trails at every opportunity. In addition, there are things that only your personal journey may entail—and you need guidance. Prayer is God’s ever-present means by which to seek direction and comfort when you find yourself ready to give up (Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6-7) . He knows when you need help and is ready to provide it as soon as you ask.

Step Four: Find Supportive People

On the Grandfather Mountain trail, ASSISTANCE is never far away. On an average day in tourist season, and usually in the off-season as well, the trail is filled with hikers. Should you sprain an ankle or scrape a shin, help will be at hand.

Meme: Prayer is God's ever-present means by which to seek direction and comfort when you find yourself ready to give up.

On your journey with God, you’ll find helping hands in the Church (Romans 12:3- 8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Where you are weak or lack knowledge, someone else is strong and able to help. When you find someone slumped in discouragement by the side of the trail, God will empower you to help them. But the assumption is … you’re active in the body! Are you? If you’re not on the trail, you can’t help or be helped.

Step Five: Contemplate Beauty

SCENIC VIEWS . Now that’s what Grandfather Mountain is all about. At regular intervals on the trail, you’ll catch a break in the trees and spot a glimpse of what awaits you at the top—a 360-degree panorama that takes your breath away. The beauty of God’s creation in the mountains never disappoints.

The same is true in the spiritual journey. God’s scenic views come into view when we stop and meditate on who God is and what He has done for us. The psalmist contemplated God throughout the night (Psalm 63:6) and considered often the works of His hands (Psalm 77:12). More than anything, he meditated on the words of God, never tiring of discovering new insights into the ways of God. When was the last time you pulled off the spiritual trail, found a quiet spot, and meditated on God’s Word?

Step Six: Bring Companions

At times, hiking alone has its benefits, but you need good friends and family with you on the Grandfather Mountain trail. There are just too many things to share together: “Look at those vultures floating on the updrafts!” “Can you believe the beauty of those rhododendrons?” “Hurry! Grab the camera and capture that sunset before it’s gone!” COMPANIONSHIP is often a key ingredient in a successful trip.

Are you journeying toward heaven with a special group of friends? I hope your family is journeying with you—your spouse and children. Those are the first people you’ll want to spend eternity with, are they not? But are there others? Is there someone you could invite on the journey? The companionship found in a small group of Christian friends is the most effective way to stay on the road should you ever get bogged down (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Step Seven: Record Your Progress in a Journal

Finally, hiking the Grandfather Mountain trail will result in a million memories and mental snapshots. You need a JOURNAL to make them last—a place to put your thoughts, paste your pictures, and press those wildflowers and leaves you collected. No trip is finished until it has been recorded.

Are you keeping track of what God is revealing to you on your way to heaven? A journal will capture the mountain peaks you cross, the raging rivers you ford, and the dark valleys you tremble through. Your children and grandchildren will thank you someday if you’ll record every step of your travels with God.

I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for visiting one of my favorite parts of the country. But more than that, I hope I’ve encouraged you in your progress toward heaven. Intimacy with God, while journeying toward God, is the trip of a lifetime. Using these stepping stones will set you on the path toward making every moment as fulfilling as God intends it to be (John 10:10).

Application—Preparing for the Journey

Destination:.

Have you secured your destination through faith in Christ? If not, ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and to give you the gift of eternal life, which He has promised to do (John 3:16).

What blessings does God promise to those who will seek Him? What blessings have you discovered in His Word?

Directions:

In what areas of your life do you need to seek direction and comfort? Take time now to ask God for His provision and guidance.

Assistance:

In what areas are you weak or lacking knowledge? Who in the body of Christ could offer assistance? How are you using your spiritual gifts to help others?

Scenic Views:

What new insights about God have you discovered? What will you praise Him for today?

When was the last time you meditated on God’s Word? How will you incorporate that stepping stone into your walk with God?

Companionship:

What special friends are journeying toward heaven with you? Who could you invite on the journey?

How are you keeping track of what God is revealing to you on your way to heaven? Take a moment now to record any new observations God is bringing to light.

About Dr. David Jeremiah

Dr. David Jeremiah is one of America’s most trusted Bible teachers. For more than 39 years he has helped millions deepen their understanding of the Bible through 4,552 daily Turning Point Radio releases and a daily Turning Point Television program that reaches millions of people globally. More »

Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom. Thomas Watson

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful. Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved. J. C. Ryle

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure. Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day. M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World , 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside. 2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there. Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world. Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father ? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections. Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol. D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow. J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares. Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves. W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins. G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred . But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility. Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers , from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable. John Calvin

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. William Gurnall

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one. E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all. C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession. Richard Sibbes

Ministry Answers

Walking with God: Unveiling Verses about Spiritual Journey

The divine path: exploring the journey of faith.

The journey of faith is a profound and transformative experience that takes us on a path of self-discovery and spiritual growth. It is a journey where we embark on a quest to understand our purpose, seek enlightenment, and connect with the divine.

As we navigate the twists and turns of this divine path, we encounter moments of doubt and uncertainty, but also moments of profound peace and joy. This journey calls us to step outside of our comfort zones, to challenge our preconceived notions and beliefs, and to fully surrender ourselves to a higher power. It is a journey of exploration, where we delve into the depths of our souls and open our hearts to receive divine guidance and wisdom. Along this path, we may stumble and fall, but the beauty lies in the fact that we have the opportunity to get back up, learn from our mistakes, and continue on this journey of faith, stronger and wiser than before.

Finding Strength in Scripture: Nurturing Your Spiritual Walk

Scripture holds immense power in nurturing and strengthening our spiritual walk. As we immerse ourselves in the pages of the Bible, we encounter timeless wisdom that guides, comforts, and encourages us. Each verse, each story, and each word has the potential to transform our hearts and minds, providing us with the strength we need to navigate the challenges of life.

When we make a habit of reading and studying Scripture, we open ourselves up to the divine revelation that unfolds within its pages. The words of the Bible are not mere ink on paper; they are living and active, breathing life into our souls. As we meditate on these sacred writings, we tap into a source of divine guidance and wisdom that surpasses our limited human understanding. Through the power of Scripture, we find strength and solace, uncovering truths that ignite our faith and lead us closer to God. • Scripture provides timeless wisdom that guides, comforts, and encourages us • Each verse, story, and word has the potential to transform our hearts and minds • Reading and studying Scripture opens us up to divine revelation • The words of the Bible are living and active, breathing life into our souls • Meditating on sacred writings taps into a source of divine guidance and wisdom • Scripture helps us find strength and solace in times of need • Uncovering truths in Scripture ignites our faith and brings us closer to God.

Embracing God’s Guidance: Seeking His Will in Your Journey

Human life is often filled with choices and decisions that shape our paths and determine our destinies. In the midst of this journey, embracing God’s guidance becomes paramount as we seek His will in every step we take. The process of seeking God’s will involves a deep surrender of our own desires and a humble submission to His perfect plan for our lives. It is a journey of faith, one that requires patience and trust, knowing that God’s wisdom far exceeds our own.

When we embrace God’s guidance, we acknowledge that He holds the ultimate blueprint for our lives. It requires us to align our hearts and minds with His purpose, allowing His voice to direct our steps. Seeking His will means being attentive to His leading through prayer, Scripture, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is a continual process of seeking divine wisdom and discernment in the choices we make, from the big decisions that shape the course of our lives to the small ones that shape our character. Embracing God’s guidance is an act of faith that transforms our perspective and redirects our path, leading us to experience the beauty and fulfillment of walking in His will.

Overcoming Obstacles: Trusting God in Difficult Times

When faced with difficult times, it is common to feel overwhelmed and uncertain. However, by placing our trust in God, we can find the strength and resilience to overcome any obstacle that comes our way. Trusting in His wisdom and guidance allows us to navigate through the challenges of life with a sense of peace and assurance.

One important aspect of trusting God in difficult times is maintaining a steadfast faith. Rather than giving in to doubt and fear, we can choose to hold on to the belief that God is with us every step of the way. This faith enables us to see beyond our current circumstances and find hope in His promises. By leaning on His strength, we can persevere through the toughest of times, knowing that He is working all things together for our good.

Cultivating a Heart of Worship: Drawing Closer to God

Cultivating a heart of worship is a transformative journey that deepens our connection with God. It is not limited to singing hymns or attending church services, but rather encompasses a lifestyle of reverence and surrender. In the process of drawing closer to God, our focus shifts from ourselves towards Him, and we become fully aware of His awesomeness and sovereignty. By intentionally setting apart time for personal devotion and reflection, we create a sacred space where we can commune with the Divine. It is in these intentional moments that we encounter God’s presence, experiencing His love, peace, and guidance in profound ways.

Worship is not solely about singing and praising. It is an attitude of the heart that permeates every aspect of our lives. As we cultivate a heart of worship, we learn to align our thoughts, desires, and actions with God’s will. Our daily routines, relationships, and even mundane tasks become opportunities to honor and glorify Him. We find joy and fulfillment in serving others and seeking ways to bring God’s kingdom values to the world around us. Through worship, we discover a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in our lives, as we surrender ourselves to God’s plans and invite His transformative power to work in and through us.

The Power of Prayer: Deepening Your Connection with the Divine

Prayer is a powerful practice that allows us to deepen our connection with the divine. It is a sacred conversation between ourselves and God, where we can pour out our hearts, seek guidance, and find solace in times of need. Through prayer, we are able to express our gratitude, ask for forgiveness, and surrender our worries and fears to a higher power. It is a way for us to communicate with God and invite His presence into our lives.

When we engage in prayer, it is important to approach it with sincerity and humility. It is not just a mundane task, but a spiritual discipline that can transform our lives. By setting aside time to connect with God through prayer, we are opening ourselves up to His guidance, love, and grace. It is in this sacred space that we can find comfort, peace, and clarity amidst the chaos of life. Through the power of prayer, we are able to align ourselves with God’s will and experience a deep sense of connection with the divine.

Living a Life of Purpose: Discovering Your Calling in Christ

Living a life of purpose is a deeply fulfilling and meaningful endeavor for many individuals. It involves discovering one’s calling in Christ and aligning one’s actions and decisions with God’s will. When we find our calling, we experience a sense of direction, fulfillment, and joy that can only come from a divine source.

Discovering our calling in Christ requires us to listen attentively to God’s voice and seek His guidance. It often involves a process of self-reflection, prayer, and surrendering to God’s plan. As we delve deeper into our relationship with Christ, we begin to understand our unique gifts, talents, and passions that can be used to serve others and bring glory to God. When we live in alignment with our calling, we live with a sense of urgency to fulfill the purpose for which we were created, making a positive impact on the world around us.

Building Spiritual Resilience: Facing Challenges with Faith

Facing challenges is an inevitable part of life, and building spiritual resilience is a crucial aspect of navigating through these difficult times. When we encounter obstacles, it can be tempting to lose faith and become consumed by fear and doubt. However, by anchoring ourselves in our faith, we can cultivate the strength and perseverance needed to overcome these challenges.

Building spiritual resilience requires cultivating a deep trust in God’s plan and his unwavering presence in our lives. It is about recognizing that although trials may shake us, they do not define us. Instead, they serve as opportunities for growth and for deepening our connection with God. By leaning on our faith during times of adversity, we can tap into a wellspring of hope and find solace knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. This resilience empowers us to face challenges head-on, confident in knowing that God is guiding us every step of the way.

Growing in Spiritual Maturity: Nurturing Your Relationship with God

As we journey through life, it is natural for our relationship with God to evolve and deepen over time. Growing in spiritual maturity requires intentional effort and a desire to nurture our connection with the divine. One way to do this is by spending time in prayer and meditation, allowing ourselves to become more attuned to God’s presence and guidance in our lives. Through regular and sincere communication with the divine, we can develop a deeper understanding of His will and align our actions with His purpose.

Another vital aspect of nurturing our relationship with God is through the study and contemplation of scripture. The Bible serves as a roadmap for our spiritual growth, offering timeless wisdom and guidance for navigating life’s challenges. By regularly immersing ourselves in the words of scripture, we gain insights and encouragement that can shape and transform our lives. As we allow the truths contained within the pages of the Bible to permeate our hearts and minds, we begin to see the world through a spiritual lens, and our actions align more closely with God’s desires for us.

The Blessings of Walking with God: Experiencing His Presence in Everyday Life

Walking with God and experiencing His presence in everyday life brings an abundance of blessings. It is in these intimate moments of connection with the Divine that we find solace, strength, and guidance. Through this spiritual journey, we discover that God’s presence is not confined to the walls of a church or limited to certain moments in our lives. Instead, it becomes a constant companion that fills every aspect of our being.

One of the blessings of walking with God is the deep sense of peace that surpasses all understanding. In the midst of life’s chaos and uncertainty, we find comfort in knowing that we are not alone. God’s presence brings a calm reassurance, reminding us that He is in control and that His plans for us are good. Through the practice of faith, we develop a trust in His timing and His ways, allowing us to let go of worry and anxiety. As we cultivate this attitude of surrender, we experience the freeing power of God’s peace, which guides and guards our hearts in every situation.

What does it mean to walk with God?

Walking with God means having a close, personal relationship with Him and striving to live according to His will.

How can I experience God’s presence in everyday life?

By seeking His presence through prayer, studying His word, and being aware of His guidance in your daily activities, you can experience His presence in your everyday life.

How can I nurture my spiritual walk through Scripture?

Nurturing your spiritual walk through Scripture involves regularly reading and studying the Bible, meditating on its teachings, and applying them to your life.

How can I seek God’s guidance in my journey?

You can seek God’s guidance by praying for His wisdom and direction, listening for His voice through His word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and being open to His leading.

How can I trust God in difficult times?

Trusting God in difficult times requires having faith in His goodness, sovereignty, and love. It involves surrendering your fears and worries to Him and relying on His strength and provision.

How can I draw closer to God through worship?

You can draw closer to God through worship by praising and honoring Him with a grateful heart, seeking His presence through music, prayer, and reflection, and by living a life that reflects His character.

How can prayer deepen my connection with the Divine?

Prayer deepens your connection with God by allowing you to communicate with Him, express your thoughts and emotions, seek His guidance and comfort, and experience His peace and presence.

How can I discover my calling in Christ?

Discovering your calling in Christ involves seeking God’s will through prayer and reflection, using your unique gifts and talents to serve others, and being open to His leading in your life.

How can I face challenges with faith?

Facing challenges with faith requires trusting in God’s strength and guidance, seeking His wisdom and help, and relying on His promises to see you through difficult times.

How can I nurture my relationship with God and grow in spiritual maturity?

Nurturing your relationship with God and growing in spiritual maturity involves regularly spending time with Him through prayer and reading His word, seeking to know Him more deeply, and allowing His truth to transform your heart and actions.

What are the blessings of walking with God?

The blessings of walking with God include experiencing His presence, guidance, peace, and comfort in everyday life, finding strength and hope in His promises, and growing in love, joy, and spiritual maturity.

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How to Live a Spiritual Life with God (10 Strategies Revealed)

Living a spiritual life with God is a deeply meaningful and fulfilling journey that can enrich and transform every aspect of our existence. It is a journey of cultivating a loving and purposeful relationship with the Divine, and it can bring us peace, joy, hope, and a connection to something greater than ourselves.

In this article, we will explore what it means to live a spiritual life with God, and we will reveal ten strategies that can guide you on this beautiful path. These strategies are grounded in timeless wisdom and practices found in the Bible and various spiritual traditions. So, let’s embark on this journey of discovery and growth, and learn how to live a spiritual life with God.

What does a “Spiritual Life with God” mean?

Before we embark on this spiritual journey together, let’s take a moment to understand what living a spiritual life with God truly means. A spiritual life with God is not bound by the confines of any specific religion or denomination; rather, it is an intimate and personal relationship with the Divine. It is about acknowledging and inviting God’s presence into every aspect of our lives, of surrendering our hearts to God , recognizing that we are connected to something greater than ourselves.

Living a spiritual life is not limited to attending religious services or reciting prayers; it is a way of being, a conscious effort to live in alignment with divine values and principles. Through this journey, we seek to deepen our understanding of God’s love, wisdom, and guidance and to let that understanding shape our interactions with others and the world around us.

How to Live a Spiritual Life with God

Let’s explore ten powerful strategies that can guide you in living a spiritual life with God. These strategies are not strict rules but rather invitations to embrace spiritual practices that can enrich and transform your life. Remember that this journey is personal, and each individual may find resonance with different aspects of these strategies.

So here are out 10 strategies to live a spiritual life with God:

Regular Prayer
Bible Study and Reflection
Worship and Praise
Cultivate Gratitude
Seek Wisdom and Guidance
Foster a Spirit of Generosity
Practice Forgiveness and Love
Serve Others Selflessly
Cultivate Silence and Solitude
Seek Fellowship and Community

Let’s look closely at each of these strategies and learn how to live a spiritual life with God.

#1. Regular Prayer

Prayer is a bridge that connects our hearts with the Divine. It is a moment of communion with God, where we can express our thoughts, emotions, and desires. Prayer can take various forms – it could be a heartfelt conversation with God, a moment of gratitude, a plea for guidance, or an expression of love and devotion.

To make prayer a regular part of your spiritual life, find moments throughout your day to connect with God. It could be a few quiet minutes in the morning to set your intentions for the day, a prayer of thanksgiving before meals, or a moment of reflection and surrender before going to bed.

Allow prayer to be an anchor amidst the turbulence of life, a source of comfort and strength in challenging times, and a celebration of joy and gratitude in moments of abundance.

#2. Bible Study and Reflection

The Bible is a profound source of spiritual wisdom and guidance. Engaging with its teachings can provide invaluable insights into the nature of God and the spiritual path. Take time to read and study the Scriptures regularly, not merely as an intellectual exercise, but with an open heart and a desire to understand how its messages apply to your life.

As you read the Bible, reflect on its stories, parables, and the teachings of Jesus. Consider keeping a journal to jot down your insights and reflections. How can you apply these teachings to your daily life? How can you embody love, compassion, and forgiveness in your interactions with others? Allow the wisdom of the Bible to become a guiding light on your spiritual journey.

#3. Worship and Praise

Worship and praise are expressions of reverence and adoration towards God. Engaging in acts of worship allows us to acknowledge and honor God’s greatness, power, and love. Worship can take place in various settings – in a church, a temple, or even in the quiet sanctuary of your heart.

When you participate in worship services, singing hymns, and joining communal acts of praise, you create a sense of unity and connectedness with others who share your spiritual journey. Worship helps us transcend our individual concerns and opens our hearts to the vastness of the Divine. It cultivates humility, gratitude, and a deepening awareness of God’s presence in our lives.

#4. Cultivate Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful attitude that can shift our perspective on life. It is a recognition of the blessings that surround us, both big and small, and an acknowledgment of the love and grace that flow through our lives.

To cultivate gratitude, take time each day to reflect on the blessings in your life and express thanks to God for them. Start a gratitude journal, where you write down the things you are thankful for. This practice can be especially helpful during challenging times when it is easy to get overwhelmed by difficulties. Focusing on gratitude opens our hearts to the abundance of love and grace that surrounds us and invites more blessings into our lives.

#5. Seek Wisdom and Guidance

Living a spiritual life is a journey of growth and learning. Seek wisdom and guidance from the Divine through meditation, prayer, and reflection. Wisdom is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about applying that knowledge in a way that aligns with spiritual principles and leads to transformation.

Take time to meditate on spiritual teachings and listen for God’s guidance in the stillness of your heart. Be open to inspiration and insights that may come to you through various sources – a piece of music, a conversation with a friend, or a walk in nature. Trust that the Divine is guiding you on your path and that you have the wisdom within you to discern the right course of action.

#6. Foster a Spirit of Generosity

Generosity is a beautiful expression of love and compassion. When we give selflessly to others, we embody the spirit of the Divine within us. Look for opportunities to be generous with your time, talents, and resources. Engage in random acts of kindness, support those in need, and be a source of encouragement and inspiration to others.

Remember that generosity is not limited to material gifts; it can also be expressed through acts of service, offering a listening ear to someone in need, or simply showing kindness to a stranger. Embrace a spirit of generosity, and you will find that your heart expands with love and compassion, making your spiritual journey all the more fulfilling.

#7. Practice Forgiveness and Love

Forgiveness is a profound act of love, both for others and ourselves. Holding onto grudges and resentment can hinder our spiritual growth and rob us of inner peace. Practice forgiveness, letting go of past hurts, and embracing a loving and compassionate attitude towards others.

Forgiveness does not mean condoning harmful behavior; rather, it is a conscious choice to release the grip of anger and bitterness. When we forgive, we free ourselves from the burden of negative emotions, allowing space for love and healing to flourish in our hearts. As you practice forgiveness, remember to extend that same compassion to yourself, recognizing that we all make mistakes and are worthy of love and grace.

#8. Serve Others Selflessly

Service is a cornerstone of living a spiritual life with God. When we serve others selflessly, we mirror the selflessness of the Divine. Look for opportunities to help those around you without expecting anything in return. Engage in acts of service with a loving heart, whether it is volunteering for a charitable cause, offering assistance to someone in need, or participating in community outreach programs.

Service allows us to transcend our ego-driven concerns and connect with the oneness of humanity. It is an opportunity to express love and compassion in action and to make a positive impact on the lives of others. As you serve selflessly, you will find that your heart is filled with a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment.

#9. Cultivate Silence and Solitude

In the midst of our busy and noisy world, finding moments of silence and solitude is essential for inner reflection and spiritual growth. Set aside time each day to retreat into the sanctuary of stillness. This could be through meditation, mindfulness practices, or simply spending time in nature.

In silence and solitude, we can listen to the whispers of our soul and connect with the Divine presence within us. It is a time to let go of distractions and worries and to be present in the moment. Cultivating silence and solitude offers us an opportunity for renewal, deepening our spiritual awareness, and finding clarity in the midst of life’s complexities.

#10. Seek Fellowship and Community

A spiritual journey is not meant to be a solitary endeavor. Engage with a community of like-minded individuals who share your spiritual values. Join a church, a spiritual group, or any community that resonates with your beliefs and aspirations.

Being part of a community provides a sense of belonging and support on your spiritual journey. It offers opportunities to learn from others, share insights and experiences, and join together in acts of service and worship. Surrounding yourself with a supportive community can provide encouragement during challenging times and celebration during moments of joy and growth.

Living a spiritual life with God is a transformative and enriching journey that brings us closer to our true selves and the divine presence within and around us. Through regular prayer, Bible study, worship, gratitude, seeking wisdom, and practicing forgiveness, love, and generosity, we can cultivate a deep and meaningful relationship with God.

As we serve others selflessly, cultivate silence, and seek fellowship with a spiritual community, we nurture a spiritual life that is connected, loving, and full of hope. Embrace these strategies in your daily life, knowing that each step you take on this path brings you closer to the Divine and to your authentic self.

May your spiritual journey be guided by grace, love, and the wisdom that comes from walking hand-in-hand with the Divine. Remember that this is a journey of compassion and self-discovery, and every step you take is a step towards living a spiritual life with God.

Grace Life International Christian Counseling Center

Christian Counseling Leading to the Life-Giving Power of God's Grace

6 Primary Stages in Our Spiritual Journey

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Mark Maulding, President and Founder

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How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Illuminating Steps)

by Mateo · Apr 20, 2024 · 215 Comments

AI generated image of a lone wolf in a dark forest starting their spiritual journey

There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you? – Rumi

Welcome, dear spiritual wanderer.

You’ve come to this page seeking guidance, and that’s what we intend to give you wholeheartedly.

Before you begin, we want to honor your self-sovereignty and inner instincts, so:

please remember to not accept anything as being “true” that I write or anything that anyone on the spiritual journey says/writes/teaches without first checking in with your own inner knowing.

No one is infallible, no matter what degree of awakening they have embodied, so I strongly encourage you to think for yourself, find out for yourself, and always, always trust your intuition. (This advice can save you a lot of pain on your journey!)

With that said:

If you’re short on time, scroll down to see the Table of Contents . Otherwise, I guarantee that this article is worth reading from start to finish (that’s why it’s the ‘Start Here’ page!).

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Learn more about your spiritual journey …

Let’s begin with the uncomfortable truth:

Most of us in the modern world have resigned ourselves to a cliched existence, indulging in endless distractions.

We go through life with minimal or pseudo-faith and avoid comprehending the emptiness of our lives. We are endlessly haunted by the shallowness of our relationships, neurotic issues, and inescapable loneliness.

And yet there’s so much more to us as a species than what we really know.

You and I carry the most mysterious and magnificent qualities within us imaginable. Yet, we unknowingly guard and protect the greatest gift that is our Souls from the world.

It’s so easy for us to feel meaningless when we perceive ourselves as mere cogs in society’s machine.

The truth is that we are much more than slaves of 9 to 5 jobs. We are capable of creating deeply meaningful, mystical, and fulfilling lives. We are capable of finding our true calling and personal destiny.

For centuries indigenous people throughout the world have known that to fully explore the depths of the Soul and reunite with Spirit we must go on a spiritual journey into the unknown lands within ourselves.

In many ancient cultures, they had Elders and Shamans to encourage and oversee these journeys toward a deeper spiritual existence. Sadly, these days in our own culture, we have lost such sacred rites and rituals. Instead, orthodox religion has replaced living spirituality with a theoretical god , dismissing, and outlawing personal experimentation and union with the Divine.

On this page, my aim is to help you start navigating your spiritual journey, be a lone wolf, and listen to your soul’s calling to reunite with Spirit.

(If you need extra in-depth support after reading this article, I highly recommend checking out our All-in-One Bundle and Shadow & Light Membership – these offerings give you a wide selection of deep, illuminating, and powerful tools and resources to empower you on your journey.)

What is the spiritual journey, 12 signs you’re called to the spiritual journey (the ancient hero/ine’s path), the 3 worlds of the spiritual journey (which are you inhabiting), inner work vs. soul work, 5 phases of the spiritual seeker’s journey, how to start your spiritual journey (7 steps).

Image of a lone wolf on a spiritual journey

The spiritual journey is a personal quest we undertake to reconnect with our Souls, release attachment to the ego, and rediscover our True Nature .

In a nutshell, the spiritual journey is about returning to the Centre of our being : it’s a path traditionally undertaken by mystics , shamans, and sages.

But in this day and age where times have changed, and we’re suffering from collective soul loss , the spiritual journey is open and accessible to all people (and no longer just ascetics, monks, and other holy people). Indeed, listening to the Soul’s calling of reuniting with Spirit is our deepest longing and highest calling as a species.

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People have felt a pull toward something greater than themselves since the beginning of time.

Ancient cultures had many stories that served to illustrate the journey to fulfilling one’s destiny and experiencing Wholeness or Enlightenment . These journeys mythologist Joseph Campbell described as the “Calls to Adventure.”

A call to adventure is something we all experience at least once in life. When we embark on this adventure, we begin the process of gaining self-understanding, reclaiming our precious Soul gifts, and dissolving the blockages that obscure our Inner Light.

The archetype of the hero/heroine discovering their true spiritual nature goes back thousands of years. The Greeks told the story of Orpheus , who descended into the underworld to rescue his bride, Eurydice, from Hades. The Nordic people had their hero-warrior Beowulf , and the Sumerians wrote of Inanna , who battled her sister in the dark world. Throughout history, there have been so many stories of individuals who have struggled through hardship to find themselves. But of what importance are they to our path?

Essentially, these hero/ines symbolize our spiritual journeys , that is, leaving everything familiar behind, entering the unknown, encountering numerous unconscious monsters, and finally returning back home with a sense of renewed fulfillment and wisdom.

Here are 12 signs you’re being called to walk the spiritual journey of awakening:

You feel lost in life
You long for a place that feels like your ‘true home’
You keep wondering what your meaning or purpose is
You feel like you have a big destiny to fulfill (which is yet to be revealed)
You sense that there’s much more to life than meets the eye
You’re experiencing strange synchronicities, signs, and omens
You’re shedding your old self and you’re transforming, but you don’t know who you truly are yet
There’s a sense of nostalgia and nagging longing for something you can’t pinpoint
You experience bouts of melancholy, depression, and existential crisis
You feel extra sensitive and fragile
A lot of what you once valued seems meaningless and empty
It feels like the rug has been pulled out from underneath you, and you’re falling into a void

Can you relate to any of the above signs? If you can, you’re most certainly being called to embark on the spiritual journey.

Image of a mystical tree symbolic of the spiritual journey

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep. – Rumi

At some point in life, we all experience the “call to adventure.” Often, our journeys start when we experience a sudden spiritual awakening , kundalini awakening , or dark night of the soul . Often, without wanting to, we are cast onto the path of inner exploration.

Like you, I have wandered these paths and have at times wound up lost and confused. For this reason, I find it useful to map out the spiritual journey in a way that helps the human mind know where it is and where it will go next.

My Andean ancestry speaks of three worlds that we can experience in life: the Upper World (Hanaq Pacha), the Middle World (Kay Pacha), and the Lower World (Ukhu Pacha).

In many traditions and mythologies, these three worlds correspond to the different realms of Self.

The Upper World is the home of Spirit, the Underworld the home of Souls, and the Middle World is the home of the physical body and human ego .

Different practices and techniques are used in each of the three realms to help us spiritually mature and rediscover joy, peace, and nondual wholeness .

Below, I’ll explore each of these three realms with you:

Middle World

Image of a woman walking down a road in a forest

Purpose: Personality development

In our everyday lives, we function within the middle world. The middle world is responsible for our ego development, and yet many people on the spiritual path ignore this vital element of inner growth.

Without developing a healthy personality, our spiritual growth reaches a dead end because we are more prone to falling into many spiritual traps and pitfalls down the line (such as spiritual narcissism , spiritual materialism, and more).

In life, we all begin within the middle world or physical realm. As children and teenagers, we go through various years of personality change and growth. Finally, as adults, we have all developed unique personalities. Yet many of us fail to continue our self-development, getting lost in corporate jobs and the pursuit of money, status, and fame.

The goal of the middle world path is to develop a healthy personality or ego. Tasks involved in this process include the exploration of core emotional wounds, self-love , and the cultivation of authenticity. A healthy adult ego will be able to love freely, be vulnerable, express creativity, and display empathy towards others – which are vital in every area of life.

We cannot develop a healthy personality by using techniques from the Upper or Under World, such as meditation or shadow work. Instead, we must use inner work techniques that pertain to ego development and healing, such as assertiveness training, non-violent communication techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, NLP, and other psychological avenues of self-development.

Under World

Image of a dark forest that represents the spiritual journey

Purpose: Soul discovery

Our Soul is the vital, mysterious, and wild core of our individual selves. It is the unique essence within each of us that goes deeper than our personalities.

Think of your Soul as a stream that is connected to the ocean of Spirit. Our Souls contain our destiny, purpose, gifts, and the ultimate significance of our individual lives. To access these deep layers and qualities, we must descend into the Under World of our unconscious minds.

Unfortunately, for thousands of years, our culture has “protected” us from the hardships and dangers of the descent into the Soul. This has been done through the establishment of comfortable, predictable, and clockwork lives that revolve around material pleasures and shallow values.

In fact, thanks to religious thought, the descent into our Under Worlds has been condemned as “evil” and wayward. Only Shamanic cultures and a few Western mystical schools like Hermeticism and Alchemy have dedicated themselves to exploring the Under World.

The descent into the Under World has been so feared and avoided because it is a perilous journey. There is a reason why Christianity referred to this place as “hell.” Within our Under Worlds lie our repressed thoughts, feelings, desires, traumas, and denied gifts. Often when we descend, or inscend, into ourselves, we come across many demons, ghastly creatures, and other parts of our Shadow Selves that we’ve been unconsciously hiding from.

Yet despite the fact that the Under World journey can be such a harrowing and haunting experience, it is ultimately a powerful odyssey. Only by descending into our personal Under Worlds can we truly embrace our true life calling, talents, gifts, and deepest values.

Under World, or deeper inner work techniques, include practices that allow us to access altered states of consciousness . These may include practices such as lucid dreaming , drumming, shadow work , shamanic trances, breathwork, vision quests, etc.

Upper World

Image of a forest and the colorful night sky

Purpose: Uniting with Spirit

The Upper World journey, or that of the ascent, is what we often refer to as Self-Realization .

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There comes a moment in our journey between the middle world and the underworld in which an equilibrium or inner spaciousness forms , allowing us to move up into the Upper World.

For example, it’s much harder to spiritually awaken to the Upper World when our unconscious minds are plagued with deep childhood traumas (that stem from the underworld), trust issues (underworld problem), and poor self-esteem (middle world problem).

The practice of inner work is what allows this inner space to emerge because it dissolves the contractions of the ego that hide our True Nature as Divine Consciousness.

We enter the path of ascent up into the Upper World when we learn to surrender our ego identification (known as ego death ) and Soul identification. It’s at this point of the path that soul work is needed – soul work, in this case, refers to doing the soul’s work of letting go, opening, and merging back into its original home of Spirit.

The experience and realization that the personal identity (or ego) is an illusory thought construct, and who we truly are is Infinite Consciousness, is what has been referred to as Self-Realization , Christ Consciousness , Buddha Nature, Nirvana, or Enlightenment.

This shift of consciousness involves our Infinite, Divine, Eternal, and Absolute Nature awakening from the dream of the separate egoic self. Techniques used to induce this inner shift of being are often found in the mystical schools of Zen, Kundalini, Taoism , Sufism, and disciplines such as meditation, self-inquiry , and yoga.

Note: Unfortunately, many people in the spiritual community believe that spiritual ascension is all that is needed to experience peace and wholeness. As a result, the middle world and under world paths have been cast aside as if they don’t matter. However, only focusing on your “higher chakras,” cultivating positivity and Oneness with Spirit , creates lopsided individuals. When the darker and more down-to-earth elements of self-growth are ignored, the result is imbalanced and unhealthy individuals . As such, here on lonerwolf, we try to focus on exploring all three realms (the middle, under, and upper world) to create balance.

Image of a pure white light symbolic of the soul

In the previous section, I mentioned inner work and soul work a few times. But what’s the difference? And how do both relate to the spiritual journey?

Within this website and the work of myself and Aletheia, inner work refers to the active exploration, illumination, and dissolution of blockages within the psyche. Inner work is a psychological process that helps us to heal and find inner harmony and wholeness on a human level.

Examples of inner work practices include the practice of self-love, inner child work, shadow work, body work, and anything that involves actively finding and releasing the contractions within the mind.

On the other hand, soul work is the more passive and receptive process of opening, surrendering, and resting within our True Nature (also known as Consciousness, Presence, Nondual Awareness, and Spirit). Soul work is, quite literally, doing the soul’s work of remembering and returning back to Source as our Ultimate Home and True Nature.

Examples of soul work practices include self-inquiry, prayer, contemplation, meditation, mirror work, and anything that involves cultivating a sense of being .

Both inner work and soul work are needed on our spiritual journeys to help us both wake up on a spiritual level and grow up on a human level. To avoid lopsided development and getting possessed by unresolved inner shadows (which can and do arise no matter what level of realization we’ve had), we need to explore both our human psychology and relax into our birthless, deathless True Nature.

Inner work makes the inner space for soul work to take place. Soul work helps to illuminate and sharpen our inner work. Both go hand-in-hand and are vital allies on our spiritual awakening journeys. As you get familiar with this website and our work, you’ll hear about both inner work and soul work.

Roughly speaking, there are about five phases of the spiritual journey (although, of course, there could be many more – but I’m just sharing the phases I’m aware of).

I refer to these as ‘ phases ‘ and not stages because the spiritual seeker’s journey is not a linear process that has a start and end; it is cyclical. It’s like the moon. It’s a spiraling dance of energy that is ever-deepening and changing – there is no “end,” even after you’ve had an enlightened shift in awareness.

Here’s a visual diagram of the Seeker’s Journey , which is the spiritual wheel of transformation that we base our work around on this website:

The Seeker's Journey Spiritual Awakening Wheel of Transformation image by LonerWolf

Below, you’ll find the five phases ruled by the Seeker, Apprentice, Warrior, Mystic, and Sage archetypes.

I’ve also linked each phase to the ten different parts of the journey that myself and Aletheia have discovered, crystallized, and defined after many years on the path:

1. Soul-searching

(Ruled by the Seeker archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Seeker’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

The Spiritual Calling
Resisting the Path

Summary: Phase one of the spiritual journey begins with a deep craving and longing for something more than mundane daily life. There may be a sense that life has become a dry, desolate, meaningless, and barren wasteland without some kind of spiritual dimension. This type of existential crisis can arise spontaneously due to a traumatic situation, mental or physical health issues, or simply due to one’s sensitive temperament. The result is a search for meaning, purpose, and greater spiritual connection – or what is commonly known as soul searching .

2. Awakening & learning

(Ruled by the Apprentice archetype.)

Finding Guidance
Starting the Journey

Summary: Awakening and learning is the next phase of the spiritual journey. Once one has listened to the ‘call to adventure’ and has begun searching for answers, the sense of inner deadness and stagnation lifts. The veil is pulled from our eyes. We awaken to fresh possibilities, new horizons, and deep insights. There is renewed hope, ecstatic zest for life, joyful anticipation, and a passion for learning, exploring, and growing. It’s as if the sun has finally emerged from its slumber, and we’re bathed in the dawning light of spiritual awakening .

3. Death & demons

(Ruled by the Warrior archetype.)

Turning Inwards
Facing the Darkness

Summary: As our spiritual journey matures, we eventually face a crossroads. To continue growing, we must enter through the gates of our personal Underworld and face our demons. We learn that the spiritual journey is beautiful, yes. But it’s also demanding. If we’re sincere about authentic spiritual growth, we need to illuminate our inner darkness, explore our shadow selves, and heal our buried traumas. This death of the spiritual ‘high’ of the previous phase can lead to much fear and confusion. The result is often an experience of the Dark Night of the Soul , a glimpse of ego death , or even a spiritual emergency where we step out of the ‘sunshine and rainbows’ world into the moonlit world of ghosts and ghouls.

4. Rebirth & reward

(Ruled by the Mystic archetype.)

Illumination
Traps & Pitfalls

Summary: Eventually, we emerge out of the other side of the Dark Night of the Soul, existential crisis, or ego death glimpse. We have been to hell and back – we’ve had our hearts ripped open and our minds excavated. But we arise victorious with heart and Soul blazing bright with clarity. This rebirth and reward often result in mystical experiences , moments of Satori (Enlightened awareness), and blissful heart openings. We may go through a new level of awakening, this time at an energetic level, via an experience known as the Kundalini awakening . However, this experience is not all love and light. There are many lurking shadows and spiritual traps to be wary of .

5. Illumination & sharing

(Ruled by the Sage archetype.)

Integration

Summary: After the body, heart, and mind undergo this cleansing and purging journey, a deeper level of Illumination may begin to arise within. We’ll begin to integrate all the lessons we’ve learned, bringing them into our daily lives. This is the moment where we truly start walking the talk, integrating both the human and Divine aspects of our lived experience. As such, there is a strong desire within us to share what we’ve realized through the grace of Divinity (our True Nature) with those who need support. We may adopt the role of teacher, guide, creator, or mentor – or otherwise, embrace new ways of helping others through the power of creativity. Perhaps the key defining quality of this phase is a strong connection to one’s True Nature and a non-dual shift in awareness. There’s an intimate, inner-lived experience of the Divine as one’s true face, authentic essence , and ultimate home.

Again, the above five phases are by no means linear or static – they are cyclical and ever-deepening. Gradually, we discover that we are Life itself and that what we have longed and searched for has always been right here, right now !

Image of a wolf on a journey in a forest

Everyone’s spiritual journey is unique, ever-changing, and ongoing.

There is no single point at which we stop this inner transformation. In fact, the whole mistaken idea of reaching a state of “perfection” really only equals death and stagnation. And what happens when things stop growing and flowing? They become lethargic, break down, rot, and disintegrate.

While the demands for constant growth and evolution may be difficult to handle at times, they are necessary grit for the inner pearl to develop.

If you wish to find truth, peace, profound love, deep freedom, and your ultimate home, beginning your spiritual journey is not only important but crucial.

Shadow Work Journal:

Understandably, you might feel a bit intimidated and lost, not knowing where to start. As someone who has been on the spiritual journey for a long time and who has devoted their entire life’s work to the inner call, here are my tips:

1. Be gentle and go at your own pace

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and a little inundated by the influx of information when first beginning your spiritual journey. My advice is to go slowly, be gentle, and go at your own pace. You don’t need to know every tiny detail of every field of wisdom ever created. (I know it’s tempting!)

Besides, everything that you’re learning about is already within you. Yes, you have all the answers you need at a Soul level because you are an expression of the Divine at your core. Everyone else is just a mirror of that.

So cut yourself some slack. The key is to go gently but deeply – that is how you will learn and grow the most.

2. Tune into the deepest yearning of your heart, your holy longing

What is it that you truly, deeply yearn for, above all else? What is the most ancient longing of your heart and Soul?

There are a myriad of reasons why people enter the spiritual journey, many of them stories created by the mind to build a better-looking ego. But beneath the desires of the mind, what does your heart want? Your heart is the doorway to your Soul, and your Soul is a unique expression of Spirit. So listen to your heart’s yearnings.

How do you listen to your heart? One of the best ways is to place a soft hand over your heart, let all thoughts go, and drop into a sense of stillness. Then ask yourself, “What is it that I truly, deeply yearn for, above all else?”

Do you long for peace, truth, freedom, love, happiness, healing, or something else? There are no right or wrong answers. The heart wants what it wants. But be aware that the mind may jump in and try to concoct a bunch of ideas, artificial longings, and idealistic stories. What you need to do is listen for the still, small, quiet voice within that responds with gentle clarity (not the loud, anxious, and abrasive voice of the mind).

Finding your holy longing will provide you with the fuel and compass to direct your spiritual search. Instead of being outwardly led by the egoic self, you’ll be inwardly led by the heart and Soul. You may even find that as you progress through your spiritual journey, your holy longing will evolve and mature. Let it!

3. Pay attention to philosophies, tools, or practices that intrigue you

Once you’ve figured out your holy longing, simply pay attention. Notice what spiritual fields, ideas, philosophies, and practices call to you that relate to your deepest calling. The spiritual journey doesn’t have to be something dry, monotone, and repetitive (unless you want it to be). This is a quest that can be playful, joyful, and passionate. In fact, you’ll likely get the most out of your spiritual path if you approach it from this heart-centered place. Neuroscience has proven that we learn the most when we’re having fun – so find your bliss. Walk a path with heart. This is the path you’re meant to be on.

4. Go deep-diving

One of the main issues that often arises on the spiritual path is a certain kind of spiritual materialism or spiritual window-shopping .

Jumping from practice to practice can be useful at the beginning (to become familiar with the territory). But if we get into the addictive habit of finding the “next and best” spiritual practice , tool, workshop, etc., we are doing ourselves a great disservice. We are not only approaching spirituality with a materialistic mindset, but we’re also avoiding the fundamental purpose of the spiritual path: to discover our True Nature.

Once you’ve done some dabbling here and there (this might involve watching YouTube videos, reading books, attending workshops, etc.), it’s time to slow down and commit to something. Don’t worry if you discover later down the road that the path you’re on is not for you, you can always change route. What’s important is that you slow down and commit to something to begin with – this is the only way to extract the nutrients, deep essential truths, and embodied wisdom that contribute to your awakening.

So go deep-diving and commit to something all the way through to the end. What paths, practices, and teachings speak to you on a profound level? What has benefited you the most? Begin to circle around that topic, practice, or path and dedicate your full attention to it. (And if there are a handful of paths, that’s okay too; stick with them, although it’s generally best to keep your focus simple.)

5. Be aware of sharks

You’ll meet many people on your spiritual path (whether online or in the flesh), and while some of these people will genuinely have your best interests in mind, others won’t. Yes, there are many ‘spiritual sharks’ out there, aka., there are sleazy, snake-oil salesmen and women who are consciously incentivized to use you for personal gain.

There are also some people (typically leaders of spiritual communities or certain gurus) who are totally unaware of their unconscious shadow motivations (but are equally as dangerous). So be discerning. Learn to trust your intuition and gut instincts . Tap into your inner lone wolf : that primal wisdom you carry inside that drove you to begin this quest to begin with.

Even if you do fall into the jaws of a shark, know that you can get out. Not only that, but you can actually use the experience as a lesson and fuel to grow even stronger. No one can take away your power from you unless you willingly give it to them. And even if you do, you can get it back.

6. Record what you’ve learned and experienced

We hear a lot of pretty-sounding words and mystical ideas on the spiritual path. But all of them mean little if we don’t actively find ways of absorbing them into our being.

One of the simplest ways of recording what you’ve learned and experienced is simply through the act of journaling . Have a special journal or diary that you dedicate to writing down your thoughts, experiences, ideas, and discoveries. You don’t need to be a good writer (or even good at spelling/grammar) to do this – forget about that! What matters is that you have a solid record that you can refer back to throughout your journey. (Learn more about how to journal .)

There are also other ways of recording what you’ve learned and experienced, such as creating pieces of art or composing music. Find whatever creative outlet suits you the most – that might even include creating a vlog where you go into your daily experience (and you can keep this private or share it with others).

Here are a variety of inner work Journals that we’ve created that might help you get started. »

7. Integrate and embody your spirituality

It’s easy to go spiritual window shopping and jump onto whatever new and exciting bandwagon emerges. But it takes much more strength of character, sincerity, and courage to integrate and embody what you’ve learned actively.

To integrate means to absorb something into your being and to make it a living and breathing part of you. To embody means to be an expression of what you have learned: to be the change you’re looking for, to infuse your life with the essence of what you’ve discovered.

There are numerous ways to integrate and embody your spirituality, but remember that this is an organic process that takes time. You cannot rush or force spiritual integration or embodiment – it is the natural product of spiritual ripening and maturation.

There are, however, numerous ways to begin the integration and embodiment part of your journey. Some of these inner work and soul work practices include:

Mindfulness
Contemplation
Shadow Work
Inner child work
Self-Inquiry

Anything that helps you to slow down, be introspective, and go inward while encouraging present-moment awareness will help you to integrate and embody what you experience.

Instead of being a magical-sounding idea, you will actively live and express qualities such as lovingkindness, presence, and wisdom. But first, you need to be sincere and dedicated to this path.

In my honest opinion, no spiritual journey is balanced (or healthy) without some level of psychological healing. We need to focus not just on ascending to the Upper World but also on working with the Middle and Under World . See the following articles for more guidance:

What is Inner Work? (& Why Most People Are Terrified By it)
Spiritual Psychology: Why Meditation Isn’t Enough

The Spiritual Journey is a Valley, Not a Mountain

Image of a golden valley symbolic of the spiritual journey

Wisdom tells me I am nothing, love tells me I am everything. Between the two, my life flows. ― Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Contrary to popular depiction, the spiritual journey isn’t like climbing a mountain.

We rarely start at the bottom and climb to the top. Instead, for most of us, the spiritual journey is like hiking through a series of beautiful but perilous range of valleys.

Our spiritual journeys alternate between periods of descending and ascending. In one period of our lives, we may cultivate our connection with Spirit, while in other parts, we may descend to the Soul to heal core wounds or the middle world to develop self-care .

Finally, it is very possible and also quite common to get hung up in these valleys. Many of us become lost, distracted, and even forget why we were trying to get to the top of the mountain in the first place. (See our article on traps of spiritual growth for more guidance.) However, with the appropriate guidance, sincerity, and persistence, we can make our way through.

In the end, you’ll find that the spiritual journey is like a mystical marriage between the ego, the Soul, and the Spirit. One cannot exist without the other. The whole experience is a nondual expression of Life living itself.

I truly hope this guide has given you a place to start. This whole website is based on giving free guidance for the spiritual awakening journey, so please feel free to poke around and learn some more. It’s our calling in life to help you with this. And it’s an honor for the two of us to be your supporters on this journey.

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How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Illuminating Steps)

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About Mateo

Mateo is a spiritual educator, guide, entrepreneur, and co-founder of one of the most influential and widely read spiritual websites on the internet. Born into a family with a history of drug addiction and mental illness, he was taught about the plight of the human condition from a young age. His mission is to help others experience freedom, wholeness, and peace in all stages of life. [Read More]

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Experiencing God on Our Journey of Faith

Be available to God — don't believe our schedule is too full to find faith.
Be open to experience God in fresh ways — to encounter him in places and times we don't see as necessarily religious or comfortable.
Be hospitable to God and his people — welcoming others in the name of God become ways we welcome the presence of "The Holy" into our lives.
Be committed to right living instead of settling for being religious — right living means we are concerned about pleasing God and how we treat others.
Be willing to making agenda changes in life — our experiences of God and with God often call us to explore new ideas, new lands, and new people.
The Psalms : The collection of the Psalms in our Bible offers us the language of life we can use to address God. There are psalms of joy and sorrow, rejoicing and lament, peace and tumult, praise and anger, confidence and desperation. Spend time in the Psalms to help broaden your vocabulary to address God, and you will also find that God is much bigger and much more gracious than you have previously known. In doing so, you will also discover that the Almighty longs to draw near in every situation of life, not just those rosy, all is great, days of spiritual strength.
Matthew : For 19 centuries, Matthew was the gospel of God's people. When we lost Matthew from our regular reading, we lost a precious gift. Matthew was written to help us know and experience Immanuel — God with us on our journey. Matthew reminds us that we can experience God on our journey through the long story of Scripture that ends in Jesus ( Matthew 1:23 ), radical and loving community ( Matthew 18:20 ), compassionate care of those in need ( Matthew 25:40 ), and in walking beside people until Jesus' will transforms them into authentic disciples ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). {Be sure and read the context of these passages for their full impact!} God wants us to experience him as Immanuel, the God whom we can experience in our journey of faith.

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Mapping Your Spiritual Journey

By Bill Gaultiere

What’s your spiritual life story? How would you describe your journey with Jesus?

Those are not easy questions to answer! Typically, if we share our spiritual autobiography or part of it, either we talk it out or write it down. Telling a soul friend or guide the key aspects of the story of how we’ve connected with God or drifted from him over time is important for all of us to do periodically. It helps us to integrate our lives and open ourselves further to the work of the Holy Spirit. It also enables us to be more helpful in our ministry to others, whether as a pastor, spiritual director, counselor, or parent.

It’s especially helpful if we learn how to review our life story in light of the needs, stages, and dynamics of spiritual and psychological development.

This approach to reviewing your life story favors the left-brain because it’s verbal, linear, and rational, though some brain research indicates that story-telling integrates the two hemispheres.

Telling Your Story With Your Right Brain

It’s also good to tell our stories in ways that make substantial use of our right brain that’s more emotional, relational, holistic, and creative. To do this you can share your story by plotting it on a life map or graph or by making a collage from magazine clippings. If you’ve never done this you’d be surprised at the emotional healing and spiritual enlightenment it can facilitate!

When you visually map out your spiritual journey on paper using a few key parameters then the jumbled parts become more orderly and the painful parts can open to God’s grace. It’s especially helpful if you do this with a friend or small group. In our TLC certificate training for pastors and leaders we invite everyone to map out their spiritual formation story along our model of developmental stages: “LIFE in CHRIST.” (See “ LIFE in CHRIST: Questions on Developmental Stages .”)

My Life Story Map

Kristi completed “My Life Story Map” with a friend and found it very encouraging. She made a six year timeline by year at the top. Then using different colored markers she filled in key events, people, places, vocations, and avocations graphing them as highs (successes, blessings, or positive influences), lows (losses, hurts, or negative influences), or in between. Finally at the bottom of her life story map she recorded the insights she gleaned from the process. (This resource is part of a book published by “ OneLife Maps .”)

The colorful result reflects the progression of Kristi’s beautiful soul through the joys and pains in our family and the challenges of launching Soul Shepherding as a nonprofit ministry and serving in it full time during the worst economy in America since the Great Depression! We’re thankful to God and our ministry partners for supporting us!

In 1994 I was in Ray Ortlund, Sr.’s year-long Discipleship Group for pastors and leaders. We went on a weekend retreat together. We sang praise to God, meditated on Scripture, enjoyed community meals, and shared our spiritual journey stories. To guide our sharing each of us made a Life Graph like the one Kristi did recently, but much simpler. On the left axis is a satisfaction scale of 1 to 10. And the bottom lays out periods of life.

As you can see, it’s a rather quick and rough sketch, but it was still quite helpful, both for me personally and for our community.

A Spiritual Collage

A great way to prayerfully sort your feelings and thoughts at a particular life transition or stress point is to get out a stack of magazines and clip out words and pictures to form a collage. If you did a collage for each of the key periods in your life you could tell your spiritual story.

I made this “Decisions” collage late in 2008 when we were praying about starting a nonprofit ministry to pastors.

A Life Map With Sticky Notes

This life map is like “My Life Story Map” above except that you write down the events and related insights on different colored sticky notes. The great benefit of the sticky notes is that you can move them around and re-order them! This comes in very handy because you’ll remember your story in a jumbled order.

I completed this Life Map of my spiritual journey shortly after the collage as part of a “Discovery Retreat” led by Tom Ashbrook with “Imago Christi,” a spiritual formation ministry of CRM (Church Resource Ministries). Kristi also did one as did some of our friends who joined us! This exercise was particularly helpful because we analyzed our life stories as spiritual formation journey’s with consolations and desolations and moving through developmental stages. (Based on Mansion of the Heart, Tom’s book on Teresa of Avila’s paradigm.)

The key at the bottom explains the system I used to graph my spiritual journey.

Tags: Christian psychology , Spiritual Development , Spiritual Direction/Mentoring

Spiritual Direction or Coaching? Choosing What’s Best For You

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Kari Minter

Helping you cultivate a deeper walk with God

My Spiritual Journey: Honesty with God

posted on December 7, 2021

This week I’ve spent most of my time putting myself in a position for God to change me. Every morning I started the day journaling honest and comprehensive prayers asking God to help me understand what I was feeling and why. I don’t naturally think about my own emotions or feelings very often so this daily practice was helpful to keep me vulnerable before the Lord.

One of my prayers this week was out of Psalm 43.

Send your light and your truth Lord.

Let your light and truth lead me

Let your light and truth bring me to your holy mountain

Let your light and truth bring me to your dwelling place

Then I will come to your altar

to my greatest joy

As I struggled to be honest and allow God to truly shine his light on my soul, a few things emerged I wasn’t expecting.

Honest Reflections

First, I don’t know that I have really sat down and been honest about how hard the last 2 years have been. I’ve had numerous health issues, been given two incurable diagnoses, had to figure out new daily rhythms to deal with health issues, endured spiritual abuse, had multiple people I’ve prayed for and comforted in their darkest moments leave the church slandering the very place I’ve sacrificed my life for, walked through a stressful extended family incident, had to step away from a ministry I grew and loved, and our best friends walked away. Plus, being the lead pastor’s wife is just plain tough, and a role that’s been hard for me at times. Add Covid into that midst, and this role can feel stifling.

As I forced myself to honestly list all the emotionally hard events that have occurred in the last 24 months, I was shocked. I had never sat down and really listed out the hard parts of life before. I tend to want to just walk through the hard as fast as possible and focus on the good. This week I invited God into those hard moments and continually asked Him to take out the sting of those experiences.

Bring joy to your servant’s life because I appeal to you, Lord. Ps 86:4

Sunday morning, after a week of honest appeals, I felt some relief from God.

There was this moment where I just felt God say Enough. When you have an intense encounter with God, it’s hard to put it into words, but as I stood there and worshiped, I felt lighter. As if God opened my eyes to His power as he removed the burdens and disappointments I have endured.

Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold . Job. 23:8-14

Not that I think all my anger is gone forever. This might be a lifelong journey. But at that moment, I was able to release to God what I had been ignoring and stuffing. The weeks of honesty and vulnerability allowed me to worship differently. For that, I’m thankful.

Goals for this week:

Continue to pray a Psalms a day. I’m going to start back with Psalms 1 and go through them chronologically.
Continue to study the book of Matthew. I’m only reading a few verses at a time and really digging in. This week I’ll finish chapter 3-4.
Daily journaling allowing the Lord the space to speak to my heart. I start and end each day with this exercise.
Read 2 chapters of “Gentle and Lowly” and allow the heart of Christ to continue to soften my heart. This past week, I didn’t get two chapters read because of the amount of Seminary work I had. This week is my final exam so I will have some time over the weekend to read for fun.

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At The Crossroads

Carla Gasser

You Can Begin Your Faith Journey Today!

Here AT THE CROSSROADS , I seek to connect FAITH + LIFE in authentic and meaningful ways. I recognize that no matter where anyone is on the path, we are all on a spiritual journey.

Some of us are just beginning the journey to know and follow God.
Many may have wandered off the road and are trying to find their way back.
And still, others are committed followers who are seeking to grow deeper in their faith.

Asking for directions, setting spiritual goals, and following God’s path are steps God tells us to take to discover the right route for our souls:

Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, The tried-and-true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16 (The Message)

READY TO GET STARTED?

So, if you are ready to determine where you are, let me help you take the next right step to grow spiritually no matter where you are in your faith journey.

6 Steps to Improve Your Faith Journey

Step 1: Connect with God
Step 2: Conquer Fear with Faith
Step 3 : Commit to Daily Practice
Step 4: Cultivate Accountability
Step 5 : Continue Despite Setbacks
Step 6: Celebrate Growth

STEP 1: CONNECT WITH GOD

Stuck and struggling with where to begin? The first and most important step in any spiritual growth plan is to connect to the source. Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches and that the only way we can produce healthy fruit is to abide in Him (John 15:4-5). We cannot achieve spiritual growth on our own; we must allow God to work in and through us to transform and renew our souls. Stuck at a Crossroads? Learn How to Connect with God

STEP 2: CONQUER FEAR WITH FAITH

Uncertain of the next step and afraid of failing? Any time we begin a new journey, it is the obstacles, roadblocks, and detours that can bring doubt and discouragement. One of the obstacles we must overcome when we set out to achieve any goal is the fear of failure. Choosing to place our faith in God and not ourselves provides the freedom to pursue our spiritual goals without fear (Philippians 4:13).

How to Choose Faith Over Fear: Do it Afraid!

STEP 3: COMMIT TO DAILY PRACTICE

Looking for tools to help you develop healthy habits? As with any goal-setting plan, daily and repeated practice is necessary to make progress. The outcome of spiritual growth is to become more and more like Christ, which develops as we move from thought to action to habit. Learn How to Have a Daily Quiet Time with God .

STEP 4: CULTIVATE COMMUNITY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Feeling disconnected and looking for support? God created us for connection and community. Find fellow believers who can not only support and encourage you but who can keep you accountable and offer wisdom, guidance, and prayer. As you grow and mature, you can offer this to others as well (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Learn the 3 Ways to Find Women of Connection .

You can also connect with me and find other kindred spirits by following me on social media.

STEP 5: CONTINUE DESPITE SETBACKS

Going through a dry season of doubt and discouragement? Perseverance and progress are the goals…not perfection! There will be setbacks: times you feel disconnected from God, dry seasons where you feel apathetic, or persistent battles with sin that leave you broken and bruised. We need to press on, knowing that God is faithful and will continue to carry us as we pursue Him (Philippians 3:13-14). See how the Wilderness Wisdom Cards can encourage you!

STEP 6: CELEBRATE GROWTH

Wanting to share your story of God’s faithfulness? It is so important to take the time to look back and see what God has done in your life. Go back to those initial reasons for why you desired to go deeper with God and grow spiritually. Celebrate what you have learned about God through His Word, how you have experienced more love, joy, and peace, and ways you have seen God move in your relationships.

Contact me to ask a question, share your story, or just connect!

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How to Grow Spiritually

Spiritual Growth , Holy Spirit , The Bible

As a seed grows when it’s planted and watered, followers of Christ grow in spiritual maturity when they are planted and watered in good soil.

In the Bible, Jesus describes a fictional scene of a farmer planting seeds. Some seeds fall on the path, some on rocky places, some on thorns, and some on good soil (Matthew 13:3-8), but only the seeds that fall on good soil grow into healthy plants. Jesus explains the meaning of the story this way: The one who hears the Word of God and understands it is the one who grows in their faith (v. 23).

The Christian life is a relationship with God that develops over time. To grow in spiritual maturity (that is, to grow spiritually) is to look more and more like the person God designed you to be — more and more like Jesus. What does it mean to grow spiritually? Journey with us as we explore the answer to this question.

What Is Spiritual Growth?

Spiritual growth is the journey of growing in faith to know more about God and become the person that He created you to be.

Peter, one of Jesus’s closest followers during the time He was on earth, encourages us this way: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18, New International Version).

Paul, a leader in the early church who wrote much of the Bible’s New Testament, describes this growth in another way: “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

The type of person that God wants you to be is one who is characterized by His qualities: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Growth?

The Bible has a lot to say about what it looks like to grow spiritually. Here are some important verses of Scripture that can help you understand what it means to be spiritually mature.

God begins the work in believers and will continue it.

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

There is a hunger for knowing God.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6, NIV).

God equips you through His Word.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV).

You can grow by meditating on God’s Word.

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3, NIV).

The Holy Spirit teaches you to have the characteristics of spiritual maturity.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

The characteristics of spiritual maturity make you productive and effective in serving God.

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8, NIV).

Growing in maturity and discernment is the natural and right path. Staying the same is not.

“Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14, NIV).

God builds up His followers to worship Him as a community.

“Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to Him, the living Stone — rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:1-5, NIV).

Jesus followers in community become more mature to look like Christ together.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15-16, NIV).

You should follow the example of more mature believers.

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).

Hard times are opportunities to grow. You can be thankful for them.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4, NIV).

How Will You Grow Spiritually?

There are three elements that are essential to growing to spiritual maturity: grace, truth, and time. The article “ How We Grow (The Growth Model) ” describes this process in the light of these three elements. Truth is found in God’s Word, which corrects, trains and challenges us. Grace is seen when we realize that we make mistakes along the way and experience God’s patient forgiveness. Time is essential, since maturity will not come overnight but is a process and a journey.

Experiencing Christ with others can have important benefits. Relationships with other believers allow you to encourage and support one another.

How Does Spiritual Growth Happen?

You can grow in spiritual maturity by persevering in following God’s plan through the trials and challenges of your life (James 1:2-18) and living a life that is Spirit-filled — that is, learning to be aware of and listen to God’s Spirit, who lives within all Jesus followers (Ephesians 5:18; Romans 6:11-14).

Community also plays an important role in character growth, brings God’s Word to life, gives prayer a life-changing impact and is vital for telling others about Christ.

We have written content designed to help you learn more about growing spiritually. This content can be found in the “ Spiritual Growth ” section of Cru.org.

How Do You Know You Are Growing Spiritually?

When you are growing spiritually, it won’t be a secret. Active spiritual growth is usually visible, and there are several things that make it evident:

A desire to spend time with God to learn more about Him (2 Peter 3:18).

Desire to dig deeper into the truths of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:2).

Learning and teaching others the truths of the Bible (2 Peter 3:18).

Growing in grace with forgiveness (Titus 2:11-14).

Desiring to obey God (John 14:15; James 1:19-25).

Spiritual maturity looks different for every person. Compare yourselves to what the Bible says and not how others are doing. When you have faith in God, it will show itself in how you live your life (James 1:26).

This is a journey that lasts a lifetime — let’s journey together.

Where Will You Go From Here?

Read the Bible; start with the book of John.

Become more intentional about taking steps of faith; download MissionHub , an app designed to help you talk to your friends and loved ones about Jesus.

Understand and experience living in the power of the Holy Spirit .

Get together with a friend to pray, read the Bible and talk about your spiritual growth.

Mentor someone else to help them — and yourself — grow spiritually.

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Why Did God Create the World?

God created the world to display His glory. Creation is God’s gift to Himself, and creation is a gift that leads to celebration.

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Introduction

“Life’s a journey, not a destination,” Steven Tyler sang in the rock band Aerosmith’s 1993 song, “Amazing.”

Amazing doesn’t quite describe the quirky fact that the very same phrase Aerosmith used in 1993 was used in 1920 by Methodist pastor and theologian Lynn H. Hough in a Sunday school lesson outline on the New Testament letter of 1 Peter: “ life is a journey and not a destination .” However, we may want to hear the rest of the quote to make sense of it:

Life is a journey and not a destination; that the heart must be set upon those matters of character which are eternal and not upon those matters of sensation which pass away.

I think Steven Tyler would have been as shocked as Lynn Hough that their view of life was shared in this instance.

Yet, both of them echo a reality woven throughout the Scripture about our lives as human beings: we are on a journey through our days. Ideally, that journey is with God, but regardless of whether we believe in God or not, “journey” is the way we experience life.

One of the places where this comes clear in Scripture is in a little section of the Old Testament Book of Psalms known as the Psalms of Ascent.

The Psalms of Ascent consist of 15 psalms, from 120 through 134. While there are different ideas about what the “ascent” referenced in this group is all about, the most likely possibility is that these psalms were sung and prayed by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. They were traveling to the temple in celebration of the three main festivals of the Hebrew people: Passover, Pentecost, and Booths (Exodus 23:14-17). No matter where they were, they would ascend toward Jerusalem because it was on the heights, but also because it was symbolically the spiritual high point where God dwelt with human beings.

These pilgrim songs, these road-trip prayers, acted like a soundtrack for the people of God in their travels. They took the Hebrew people back to the nomadic faith journey of Abraham and the liberation journey of the Exodus. It was a reminder that they were a people on the way with God.

These psalms do the same for us today as well. They remind us that our life with God is a journey. It is a journey with God, but also a journey with his people on the way to the eternal kingdom.

The writer to the Hebrews in the New Testament describes God’s people as “foreigners and strangers on earth … looking for a country of their own” (Hebrews 11:13-14). With the Psalms of Ascent we sing and pray a soundtrack for the pilgrimage of our life with God, not just to Jerusalem, but to the eternal country that is our heavenly home in God for eternity.

In these Psalms of Ascent we see what it means to be shaped spiritually by God and his truth more than the surrounding context of our world. In a culture set on instantaneous achievement, instantaneous acquisition, instantaneous food out of a microwave or vending machine, we know life does not really work that way. The Psalms of Ascent slow us down enough so that we can take our time on a journey with God. There are certain things that we need in our lives, in our souls, if we are really going to grow with God over the long haul. These psalms show us what it means to grow over time, not in an instant; what it means to live life on a pilgrimage, where we draw nearer to seeing God in space and time every hour of our lives.

Beginning with the Lord in Our Distress

In the 2010 movie The Way we follow Tom, an American doctor, who receives the shocking news that his estranged adult son has unexpectedly died in a storm while hiking the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of Saint James. Dealing with his unresolved grief, Tom decides to honor his son’s desire to complete the Camino by embarking on the historical pilgrimage himself. Unprepared and not physically conditioned for it, Tom’s journey takes him beyond himself. He encounters his need for others, his need for resolution of his grief, and his need for a deeper spiritual meaning in life.

The film is moving to watch and parallels some of the real reasons people walk this historic pilgrimage path today. Some friends of mine run a hostel at the end of the Camino, in the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela. Time and again they encounter people who are searching for something in their lives. Many are in the midst of distress and the walk along the Camino de Santiago becomes a pilgrimage not only physically but spiritually, as they seek a breakthrough to a deeper, more spiritual reality in life.

For most of us, the journey of our lives involves moments of distress. This is how Psalm 120 begins.

(Read Psalm 120:1-2)

When we think about going on a spiritual journey, this may feel like a strange way to start. However, it shouldn't feel strange because the beginning of our own journey with God involves coming to the end of ourselves. It begins with us saying, “Save me, God.”

Life is all about this. If life is about nothing else, it's about realizing that we are, if I can borrow bit of a language from Alcoholics Anonymous, powerless to change ourselves. We need a higher power. You may know that AA has its roots in Christianity. This acknowledgment that change happens when we come to the end of ourselves and reach out to God is just what we see in Psalm 120:1-2. Of course, that is not just true of alcoholics. It's true of anyone who exists on earth.

If you've been on the journey with God, you know this. So many times in our lives, we come to the end of ourselves because of physical situations in our lives, because of spiritual realities that we're dealing with, because of emotional difficulties in our lives, because of relational things that are happening, or even the broader challenges in the world around us. Sometimes simply reading the news is enough to bring us to the end of ourselves.

The journey with God begins by simply saying, “I do not have it in myself to make it in the abundant life, the best life possible and so, God, would you save me because I actually am in distress in one way or another.” That beginning is marked by honesty with God .

Sometimes when people come to church they think they need to put on a game face. It’s the religious game face with the religious answers and the religious smile that says everything is great. But the reality is different. We come to worship from a lot of different places and some of us are not great now. Don't misunderstand me. God is still great. God is still good. He's still almighty. However, there are moments of distress that come in our lives, when one of the most spiritual things we can do is to admit it before God and everybody else. It doesn't mean we stay in that place forever, but we say, “God, I need you.” Wherever we are coming from in this moment today, it is good to simply express to God, “I need you.”

When we get honest with God in prayer—admit that we have needs, admit that we have distress, admit that we have come to the end of ourselves—something new begins. It says in Scripture that God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). That does not mean we have to walk around heavy-hearted all the time. It does means that when we cannot carry ourselves, God loves to step in and carry us. The meaning of the incarnation of Jesus is that God steps inside of humanity’s broken existence that he might carry us back to himself; that we might be reconciled back to God through Christ. The honest admission of our need to God is the beginning of our journey with God.

Distress can open something up for us when we call to God, when we let him be, as verse two says, our Savior. That's the personal name of God, Yahweh : “Yahweh, please save me from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.” Now, here's the reality about distress. Sometimes there is distress inside of us and at other times there is distress surrounding us. God is the kind of being who, when we say, “I need you, I'm in distress,” he is there and he saves. Whether it's the internal distress or the surrounding distress, God is a Savior big enough for the external and the internal distress in our lives.

Is anybody in distress today? Are you feeling it on the inside? Are you feeling it around you? Do you feel it in the nation? Do you feel it in the world? God is not bound by what's inside of us or what's beyond us. He is the Almighty God and God is also close at hand.

Untangling Falsehood with God’s Truth

Have you ever had somebody tell lies about you? There is nothing you can do about it. I mean, you could try. I’m not encouraging this, but you could punch the person in the face so they couldn't talk. You could try that, but it would not stop the root of the problem. Maybe you wish you had a mute button on other people. Just be careful. They may wish they had a mute button on you, too.

What can lies do to you? Well, lies can do some things to you. They can ruin your reputation. They can make things very difficult for you. They can make circumstances bad. They can make people you love become people you hate. What can lies do to you? A lot of things, but not everything. There is a limit on what lies can do. The real question is: What can God do in the midst of lies?

(Read Psalm 120:3-4)

Sounds extreme, doesn't it? How does God feel about lies? Well, this is what it says in Proverbs 12:22, “Yahweh detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

When lies come against us or when lies come out of our mouth, God is not full of joy. He detests that. Why? Because he is a God of truth and there will come a day, the scriptures tell us, when the truth will be revealed. If I needed a sermon illustration, I could easily just point at the news. Again and again, no matter how hard we try to hide things that are in the darkness, the truth comes out. There will come a day when all the lies that people use to cover over darkness will be brought into the light. Honestly, it will be a scary moment when the lies of our lips are shown to be the lies that they are.

It says here in Psalm 120 that God advocates for truth and he actually stands against those who are liars. This reflects what Jesus says in John 8:44 about the devil. “When he [the devil] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). The problem is that sometimes we learn the native language of the devil and we take it inside of ourselves. The apostle Paul says this to the early church: “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices” (Col. 3:9).

Contrary to lying is loving one another, carrying each other's burdens, and being a person who is trustworthy and true. Scripture offers us a picture of the end of human history, that shows even if there are lies that have been placed out there, God will come and brings the fullness of his kingdom. What is that kingdom like? This is the way it is described in Zephaniah 3:12-13:

I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant … will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.

This does not sound like the rulers of the earth, does it? This describes the fulfillment of Psalm 120. God is at work in the midst of the world, and though lying lips may do things to us in our lives, God is our defender standing in the truth, standing against the father of lies and all those who have learned his language, even when it gets inside of us. God stands against that and calls us to be the kind of people who are not only standing in the truth ourselves, but are actually protected by the father of truth. This is the invitation to a becoming a different sort of person, living by a different sort of story, in the midst of a different sort of journey?

Living for Peace in the Midst of Conflict

“Well,” you may say, “that sounds good, Matt, but my life is not like that. You don’t know what my workplace is like and what my neighborhood is like.” I understand that. But listen to what the Psalmist says next.

(Read Psalm 120:5)

Meshek and Kedar may be a bit confusing. Meshek is in present-day Turkey, beyond the northern-most border of the land of Israel, and Kedar is located in present-day Saudi Arabia, south of the land of Israel. These are two foreign peoples located at the extreme opposite ends of Israel.

When the people would go on pilgrimage, they would come from a lot of different places around the land. This writer of Psalm 120 is not saying that he’s necessarily living in these places, but that these two peoples serve as figurative names of the barbarian people that he is in the midst of (Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 430). He’s saying, “Oh man, the people I live in and around, they remind me of the heathen barbarians. That's the way that I feel right now. They are these people far off in the furthest reaches and not at all like God’s people.”

We could ask ourselves, who or what is our Meshek and Kedar today? Meshek and Kedar are different things for each of us. They are places we feel like we find ourselves amidst people where God’s truth and way is not upheld. They are the places we find ourselves where a kind of heathen imagination and imagination that's far from God takes us captive. Meshek and Kedar represent what’s happening when we find ourselves trying to live for God, trying to be on pilgrimage, trying to see the celestial city that we're aiming for, trying to hear God's voice, but all we can hear is the rumblings of the chaotic mindset contrary to God around us.

Do you ever experience these sorts of realities? It is almost as if the psalmist feels unable to see beyond the chaos into the destination of the journey. “Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar. Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.”

The prayers in the Psalms of Ascent are songs of a people on the journey with God, even in the midst of people, lands, and times that are at odds with God. As we take this pilgrimage with God, we join in prayer together, singing these songs many times in a land and in the presence of people that seem to be against us. Even when we feel like someone is against us or like the territory or environment is at odds with our faith journey, it is an opportunity.

The journey with God starts right where we are, right in the midst of the chaos of the world around us. We cannot wait to get to another place that is difficulty-free to start the journey. Instead, we start the journey in the midst of opposition, right in the places that are not for peace, right in the places that seem to be dead-set against God's ways, even the places where conflict and lies seem gathered around. In the mist of those places, the people of God can step forward and say, “In this place, I am for God. I am for truth. I am for his ways.” That is where the journey begins.

The prayers of the people on pilgrimage arise from a community joining together on the journey in an alien, or even hostile, place. They sing these song as they journey together, and that, too, is instructive to us. The journey with God is not just something you do on your own. The Psalms of Ascent are a communal journey. Imagine a group of a cluster of people off on the very edges of Israel, maybe past Syria, towards the land of Meshek, and they’re beginning to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As they traverse the land, they begin to sing Psalm 120. One person starts the song and the hearts that are heavy and the minds that are worn out from living amidst a people opposed to God begin to join in with the song together. Sometimes you just need somebody else to start the song so you can join in and get going on the journey together as well.

This week I received a song like that. Actually, it was a WhatsApp message from one of our friends who serves in another part of the world and is enduring some great hardships and violence. She reached out to a number of us requesting prayer and many of us responded with little messages of encouragement, saying things like, “We’re with you and we're praying for you.” After a while, she responded: “Thank you, Lord, for giving me spiritual family that can never be taken away!”

These prayers and songs of the people on the journey with God are prayed together. They are sung together because we need each other, and it's when we pray and sing together that our hearts are lifted up beyond the circumstances and the environment that’s opposed to God or us. When we reach out to one other and say, “We’re with you. We journey together,” the burden becomes lighter. We carry one another's burdens, lift one another's arms when we cannot go on, and we start to sing the songs of the Lord.

That's the journey of the people of God. It's not just one person but clusters of people. Is there a group of people around you who lifts your arms when you cannot rise? Are there people around you who can start to sing the song when you cannot sing the song yourself? Is there somebody there you can reach out to and say, “Pray for me because I am dwelling in the land of Meshek and Kedar.” We need each other.

(Read Psalm 120:6-7)

When we read this psalm, for some of us it is easiest to relate to the troubles dwelling in Meshek and living in Kedar. But the movement of this psalm is toward peace, not toward sitting in the darkness or giving into the hatred around us.

That word, “peace,” is the well-known Hebrew word shalom . It’s one of the most prominent words in the Hebrew Bible. It does not simply mean inner peace or the absence of conflict. It means that everything is right and good in God’s world as he intends it to be. Biblical peace is not just personal, but is a social and relational peace. It means that the community is truly together, not just living without strife, but actually living with things being right, good, and harmonious, individually and together.

In light of the context of Meshek and Kedar, peace here means God’s people are free from judgment, oppression, and warfare. It means God’s people are living the good life, the way that God intended it to be, regardless of their setting. That is true both personally and in relationship with other people. Shalom .

This is the intention of God, but the world we live in feels so different. It is full of strife. We encounter that every day in some form. We see it in the major cities of our world, and we see it in our own city. We feel it in our families and in our friendships. We experience it in ourselves. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9). Then James writes, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).

Now, in a world of chaos and division, in a world of hatred and injustice, in a world where people use each other and things, it can look like the world is going to hell in a hand basket. In a world like that, the tendency for us, even as Christians, is sometimes to slide into hopelessness or hatred.

However, Psalm 120, which begins the journey of the Psalms of Ascent declares,

Even though I'm in the midst of an environment that's at odds with God, I choose to be the kind of person who does not slide into hopelessness. Neither do I slide into hatred. I set my eyes on God. I begin the journey with God. I choose to be a person aiming for the good life—the life of true shalom— in myself and for the community of God and for those beyond that sphere, so that people might be blessed through me, even as Abraham was called to be a blessing to every nation of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3).

This is peace-making, this bringing of blessing, is a mark of the journey with God from the very beginning.

Of course, the truth about intending to do something like that is we cannot create it ourselves. But there is One who can. His name is Jesus. He was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, who described the Messiah as “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). When he spoke with his disciples before the suffering of the Cross, he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can bring his peace into our lives and also bring his peace through us into the world around us.

As we think about the nature of our spiritual journey with the Psalms of Ascent, I would like to suggest four ways we can respond and make this real for us in our own lives.

First, some of us need to simply begin the journey and stop waiting for everything to get better. We should not wait for God to lift us out of the land of Kedar and Meshek, but begin with God right where we are.

Second, some of us in this place need to call out to God with honesty and brokenness. Perhaps you have been afraid to be honest with God in your life. This is the moment that can change. The journey with God is one that is marked by honesty and vulnerability. And so, perhaps the biggest step for some of us is simply to call out to God from the honesty of our lives, saying, “God, I’m in distress. I need your help. I want to begin with you.”

For others of us, God may be telling us that we need community in our lives. Perhaps that means reaching out to somebody else around you and asking, “Would you pray with me that I might be touched by God and his saving work in my life?” Even now, some of us need to reach out to others in our lives and say, “I need a group of people around me who can help me journey on the way.”

The truth is that we're not meant to do it alone. But I really believe there are some of us who have slid into hopelessness and God wants to replace that hopelessness with his peace. Maybe it's the hopelessness of your circumstances. Maybe it's the hopelessness of your health. Maybe it's the apparent hopelessness of the world or the strife in our nation. It really does not matter what form your hopelessness takes. It's time to take the hopelessness and bring it to the Cross of Christ and say, “God, would you be my peace.” It will not help us to crawl into some quiet place inside of ourselves or to hunker down somewhere in society when what we really need to do is crawl into the presence of God and let him be our hope.

Lastly, some of us have slid into the tendency of hatred toward others, and it is time to shed hatred because that is antithetical to the ways of God who wants to be our peace and, through us, shed peace upon others. Though we live in the tents of Kedar and dwell in Meshek, God wants to move us through the place of a hatred, and into the place of peace. Maybe today is the day to say,

God, I choose to let go of hatred toward myself. I choose to let go of hatred toward somebody in my family. I choose to let go of hatred toward some category of people in the world or toward some place in the world. Instead, God, I'm drawing near to you. I want you to be my peace. I want to go on the journey with you.

Let me simply say out loud that we cannot hide in our hatred. It will not protect us. Our hatred actually makes us vulnerable. But in the presence of God, we can draw near and enter the place of peace.

Wherever we are at this morning, let’s join together on the journey with God, letting the Psalms of Ascent be the songs, the prayers, the soundtrack for our journey.

Matt Erickson serves as the Senior Pastor of Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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My Spiritual Walk with God

My bio on the About page is almost my life wrapped up, but it is only half the story. I want to be able to share my testimony of my journey of following Jesus because it is my foundation, the very being of my life. I have experienced so much freedom as I have only yet begun grasping the immense love of God and what truth He has not only for me but all of His children. It is not my story to selfishly keep for myself, but it belongs to my Father and is freely given to all.

I grew up in a Christian home surrounded by the presence of God and His unconditional love. Our family attended a small Methodist church, so I learned all the Bible stories and exemplified the WWJD bracelets. I went to Awanas, Bible Drill, and VBS to memorize Bible verses and learn how to be the “good” Christian. My parents created good discipline in my brother and I, for skipping church was never an option and we always said grace before meals. But starting when I was 7 years old, my journey of learning the depth of what Christ sacrificed for us and God’s extravagant love for me. I accepted Jesus into my heart and dove into a life saturated with growing wisdom and insight. My parents were experiencing their own journey and became even greater spiritual influences in my life. My mom modeled a heart of service, humbling herself in every situation to show her genuine compassion for other people. My dad provided intellectual depth to my growth, and I always loved going deep in conversations of the Bible to stimulate my mind for more of God. I started going to a church camp called Pine Cove, where I entered even greater understanding of how to find joy in living for Christ. It was more than just trying to be a “good” Christian, whatever that is. It was about seeking a relationship with your Father in heaven and to grow in discovering wisdom.

High school was a time of complacency for me, however. I was constantly busy in extracurricular activities, and my world was consumed in stress. I put God first in my mind and loved Him, but I wasn’t living it in reality. I felt distant most of the time, swinging back and forth to feeling His presence. I felt guilty and unworthy to ask anything of Him because I was failing to do my part in walking daily with Him. So I trudged through my anxieties and my stress out of my own strength, believing the lie that I didn’t deserve His help.

As college was approaching, I grew excited. But in the deep pit of my stomach grew fear. I was afraid of running off to college and completely falling off the deep end. There were so many stories of kids grounded in a good Christian home who could do no wrong that went to college and came back a mess. What would protect me from that? I wanted to set myself up before college in a place of confident trust in the Lord. So the summer after I graduated high school, I did a 5 week discipleship program through Pine Cove called Baby Ruths. It was one of the hardest 5 weeks of my life. It was an intense time of learning the extreme vulnerability of community, going deep into studying women in the Bible, and learning how to work behind the scenes at a camp and receive no human recognition or gratitude, only the joy of working ultimately for the Lord. It was a physical and emotional draining experience, but I grew so much. God met me in my weak places and worked through my inadequacies. I learned my identity would forever remain in Him.

Once at Baylor , I immediately found a church. I found my community through a lifegroup and received great wisdom and encouragement from my discipler. These past 2 years, I have experience the most growth and redemption in my life. My faith has become my own, and my passion to be intimate with Jesus has ignited. I desire to be obedient to His will not because I have to but because I actually want to. He is my rock, my foundation, and my salvation. Discovering the love of Jesus is an unending journey, but He has increased my capacity to love others through a greater understanding of the depth of His love. He has revealed new truths to me to battle against the lies I struggle with. My life is full of so much freedom and indescribable purpose. He is my light, and no matter where He leads me, I will follow. For I know the reward I seek is nothing found on this earth, but it is a heavenly one waiting for me when I return home.

…finding God in the little things

A Mindful Guide To Spirituality For Beginners + 15 Steps For Beginning A Spiritual Journey

Maybe you’re looking to understand your purpose in this life, or you’re experiencing an existential crisis .

Or perhaps you’re starting to examine the belief system you grew up with. Whichever the case, you’re contemplating a spiritual journey .

But where and how should you start?

To help you figure it out, we’ve created this beginner’s guide to spirituality.

Below, we’ll unpack definitions, look at different spirituality types , review the process, and briefly discuss the available practice paths.

What Is Spirituality?

What is a spiritual journey, mystical spirituality, authoritarian spirituality, intellectual spirituality, service spirituality, social spirituality, they lack patience, they engage in enlightenment arrogance, they search for external answers, they crave external validation, they confuse spirituality and material goal-setting, the benefits of learning how to be spiritual, 1. declutter your spaces, 2. take stock of your current belief system, 3. develop a self-care routine, 4. read up on the possibilities, 5. decide whether you will share your plans, 6. reconnect with nature, 7. learn to be kind to yourself, 8. choose the path you want to try, 9. keep an open mind, 10. give everything you try a chance, 11. be on the lookout for scammers, 12. keep a record of your progress, 13. try rituals, 14. allow yourself to believe, 15. read, learn and absorb, path of knowledge, path of devotion, path of meditation, path of service, path of energy.

What are the basics of spirituality ? In some ways, it’s an impossible question to answer because spirituality means different things to different people.

For some, it’s a religious pursuit. For others, it’s an individual exploration of spirituality.

The director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, Christina Puchalski, MD, contends that “spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.”

woman enjoying the beach waves spirituality for beginners

Generally speaking, most forms of spirituality:

Invite practitioners to connect with a higher power or source
Encourage a transcendental end-goal through belief or energetic experiences
Involve the search for greater meaning or feeling
Feature a relationship between the practitioner and a divine force

What Are The 3 Elements of Spirituality?

Back in the day, the three pillars of spirituality were truth, goodness, and religiosity. People’s definitions, narratives, and rituals differed, but nearly everyone saw spirituality as a religious undertaking.

But things are different these days. Sociologically speaking, spirituality is no longer tethered to a theological framework. And while religion colors many people’s spiritual pursuits, growing numbers are severing that tie.

As contradictory as it may sound, it’s not uncommon to meet deeply spiritual atheists — which begs the question: What are the three new elements of spirituality in an increasingly secular world? We’d argue they’re connection, love, and faith.

Most people pursuing spiritual journeys want to feel deeper connections with themselves, others, and the Universe. For some, the bond is cosmic and otherworldly; for others, it’s about communing with nature, neighbors, and the galaxy’s physical realities.

It’s been said that love makes the world go round, and we’d agree. When people love instead of hate, offer grace instead of judgment, and collaborate instead of competing, everything — (and by extension everyone) — is better.

Faith has myriad definitions and is expressed in disparate ways. For some, it’s a religious undertaking. For others, faith is linked to personal development and fostering humble confidence.

Have you been wondering how to start a spiritual journey?

One of the most important things to understand is that going through one can take physical and emotional effort since most of us cruise through life on autopilot.

The energetic shift required to change spiritual gears can be more intense than people imagine.

But it’s well worth the endeavor. Navigating a spiritual journey can help us become comfortable with ourselves and live more meaningful, joyful, fulfilling lives.

With courage, forgiveness, and honesty, we can examine our true natures and develop greater capacities for love and compassion.

People who successfully go through a spiritual transformation tend to be more content, calmer, and self-confident.

What Are the Types of Spirituality?

There are several types of spirituality. Some folks pursue all of them; others pick one or two to master.

The choice is yours and may depend on a “soul contract” you signed before diving into this life.

Mystical spirituality focuses on cosmic and intuitive aspects of existence. People who subscribe to these types of esoteric belief systems have faith in a force more powerful than what we can see and touch.

They also believe in a universal unity that transcends the physical world.

Practitioners of mystical spirituality may say things like “everything happens for a reason” and “there’s a cosmic explanation behind everything.”

Authoritarian spirituality involves devotion to a hierarchical structure in the heavens and Earth. Fundamentalist commitment to a religion or belief system is the most common type of Authoritarian spirituality.

Sometimes, this type of journey can safely allow individuals to immerse themselves in their chosen faith, like monks living in ashrams and temples. Unfortunately, it can take a more violent, destructive turn, as is the case with some sects of fundamentalist cults and religious movements.

People who travel down the authoritarian spiritual path may believe that their belief system is the only right way.

Intellectual spirituality is rooted in the notion that knowledge is power.

People who choose this path enjoy reading about and discussing theories. They find their way to the unknown through learning.

All spiritual disciplines have an intellectual sect or path to enlightenment, and many people drawn to intellectual spirituality combine it with service, devotion, or mystical ritualism.

Service spirituality involves attending to others’ needs. Mastery of the craft comes when an individual genuinely helps others without expecting anything, not even a “thank you.”

It can be a tricky path because many folks don’t recognize that they serve performatively. They feast on the praise showered on them for being “good people.” However, healing through service can only happen in a pure state of generosity without a need or thought of recognition or reward.

Some people are introverted, and others are extroverted. Folks who fall under the former umbrella may appreciate individualized spiritual journeys, whereas those in the latter may seek out socially spiritual events — like group retreats.

If you pick this path, think long and hard about your relationship with dependency. Are you choosing to seek communal salvation because of fear or a genuine desire to live selflessly among others?

Common Mistakes on The Spiritual Journey for Beginners

Ethereal journeys can be exciting and fulfilling — but nobody ever said they’re easy, especially in the beginning. Finding one’s spiritual sea legs can be a bumpy ride!

With that in mind, let’s unpack a handful of mistakes many people make at the start of their spiritual awakening.

Have you ever tried spirituality for a week (or ten) and gave up when miracles didn’t immediately rain down in your lap? Please don’t feel bad; you’re not alone; it always happens. In fact, it’s more common than successfully establishing a mindfulness or spirituality routine.

Remember that devotional work — (both religious and secular) — isn’t a magic bolt that instantaneously ushers “the dream” into your conscious realm. Heck, monks practicing for decades have yet to experience bliss, much less enlightenment.

In other words, it takes time. Lots and lots…and lots of time. So cultivating patience early in your journey is wise.

The benefits of mindfulness (spirituality’s backbone) can sometimes lead to judgment. Bluntly stated, “baby spiritualists” can be “all ego and no insight.”

Many also approach the journey myopically and think: Well, if X worked for me, it can work for anyone. Then, when people fall short of expectations, newly minted “gurus” attribute their failure to some moral failing rooted in laziness and victimhood.

But each life carves a distinctive path in the sands of time and space, and what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily suitable or feasible for the gander.

It’s also a bad idea to cut people out of your life because they aren’t on the same exact track as you. Like stars, lives have singular trajectories — and judging another’s is rarely an excellent karmic idea.

Bottom line: When it comes to spirituality, worry about yourself — and only yourself.

Spiritual newbies love to search for answers outside of themselves. Sure, the Universe throws people proverbial bones in the form of “signs” every so often, but the work of spirituality is internal.

Forming a conscious bond with the world around you is about learning to recognize your divine spark.

As discussed, novices frequently search for external answers. They also crave external validation, which defeats the purpose of a soulful journey.

Ultimately, it’s best to avoid spiritual competition at all costs. Your quest for meaning, connection, and purpose should never be a status contest.

Another common mistake is conflating personal and professional goal-setting with spirituality. Goal-setting is about what you want your life to look like, materially and professionally. Spirituality is about how you want to feel, see, and experience the world.

Please don’t read us wrong. Goal-setting and spirituality can work in tandem, but they’re different. The former requires external effort and feedback; the latter is an internal process.

Embarking on a spiritual journey for beginners can be disorienting at the start.

Think of it as if you’re a 16th-century explorer. When you leave port, you’re anxious, detached from what you know, nervous, and unsure of what awaits you.

group of ladies in yoga classes spirituality for beginners

You’re out to sea for a long time. Then, one day, you discover a new land; you’re elated and rewarded handsomely. In most ways, a spiritual journey follows that same arc.

A spiritual journey has many potential benefits, including:

Experiencing a cosmic-level of love and respect for all living people, animals, and plants, instead of only feeling connected with folks and things with which you’re most familiar and comfortable
Moving through experiences with faith, optimism, and joy
Being aware of life’s divine nature
Getting to know and love yourself unconditionally, even when you mess up
Being able to see magic in the ordinary
Being aware of the divine grace that helps fuel your life
Coping better with stress, anxiety, and depression
Restoring a sense of hope and optimism about life

Spirituality for Beginners: 15 Steps for Starting Your Spiritual Journey

Some peoples’ spiritual paths are clear from an early age. The rest of us usually need to put in a little effort to find the road that most resonates with our eternal beings. In some ways, it’s a trial and error process.

However, there are things you can do to prepare and make the journey easier.

The Universe is, at its most basic level, a web of interconnected energy. Living and working in clean, uncluttered places attract healthy, positive vibes and wavelengths to your space and aura.

It’s beneficial to know where you’ve been to figure out where you’re going,

When embarking on a spiritual journey, take stock of the belief system you grew up with or currently subscribe to. Does it serve you? Is it comfortable? Do you practice it because that’s all you’ve ever known, or does it genuinely resonate with you?

A significant part of spiritual journeys is getting to know yourself. Getting it right takes self-compassion , honesty, and self-forgiveness — which isn’t always easy.

As such, you must care for yourself, and developing a self-care routine is wise during this period of your life. Moreover, we can control habits, which adds a bit of stress-lessening stability to a sometimes rocky time.

What Are The 5 Spiritual Paths?

Many paths can teach you how to learn about spirituality. Some people stick to one; others try on several.

The knowledge path is suited for people who gain depth and insight through wisdom and gathering knowledge.

side-view shot of a pretty woman spirituality for beginners

Analytical meditation, contemplation, studying, and journaling are important tools for people on this path. They frequently delve into questions about self-knowledge and the greater good.

The path of devotion is all about surrendering to something greater than yourself. The ultimate goal is to liberate the soul from its ego. Praying, chanting, and using mantras are common.

Meditation is a spiritual path in and of itself. People who go this route usually are interested in connecting with a higher power. They also value stillness and calmness.

Active selflessness defines the path of service. But it can be a tricky road, as practitioners mustn’t focus on their efforts but instead on the needs of others. People who serve for the wrong reasons can find themselves in miserable places.

The energetic path is probably the least discussed and one of the most powerful. It combines several disciplines, including meditation and knowledge. People who go down the energy path typically use rituals.

We hope you found our guide to spirituality helpful. Whatever path you choose, and no matter how long it takes, your spiritual journey will help you have a deeper understanding of yourself and the meaning of your life.

Start your spiritual journey as you read the steps for spirituality for beginners in this post.

How to Go on a Spiritual Journey

Last Updated: September 29, 2022 Approved

This article was co-authored by Jessica Elliott, ACC, CEC . Jessica Elliott is a Certified Executive Coach and multi-passionate entrepreneur. She's the founder of LIFETOX, where she hosts mindful experiences and retreats, and J Elliott Coaching, which she provides executive consulting for professionals, teams, and organizations. Jessica has had over fifteen years experience as an entrepreneur and over five years of executive coaching experience. She received her ACC (Associate Certified Coach) accreditation through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and her CEC (Certified Executive Coach) accreditation through Royal Roads University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 11 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 251,065 times.

A spiritual journey is a journey you would take to find out who you are, what your problems are in life, and how to come to peace with the world. The purpose of a spiritual journey is rarely to find an answer; rather, it is a process of continually asking questions. This article will not tell you what your spiritual journey should look like, but will give you tools that you may find important in structuring your journey.

Setting Spiritual Goals

Step 1 Understand that your journey is yours alone.

You are ultimately responsible for the direction of your journey. If one of the steps in this guide produce stress or harm for you, skip it for the time being and find an alternative that helps you contemplate your life.
No religion has a monopoly on truth. If a religion or its followers begin to control or scare you, consider backing up and consulting a different source.

Step 2 Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings.

Such practice is often referred to as keeping a "mindfulness journal." [3] X Research source Its purpose is to reveal to you the thought patterns that govern your life, possibly negatively, so that you may focus on transforming them.

Step 3 Make a set of goals and prioritize them.

Prioritize what interests you intellectually as well as emotionally; think about what you are curious about, as well as what you might change to live a healthier life. Spiritual journeys can incorporate both intellectual and emotional aspects of your life.

Step 4 Decide on the scope of your journey.

Using Spiritual Practices

Yoga can add a physical component to contemplation and can help you in clarifying your spiritual goals.
There are many different variations on meditation. They can be learned and practiced in social settings, whether they be spiritual meetups or regularly-meeting meditation groups led by an expert. These meetups are often free to attend, or ask for a small donation.

Step 2 Incorporate exercise into your spiritual life.

Exercise needn't be exhausting. Moderate exercise, spread out throughout the week, can keep one's body fit and in shape. [9] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source

Reflective spaces may incorporate images, icons, and posters, smells (such as incense or flowers), and either silence or meditative music.

Step 4 Investigate alternative states of consciousness.

Many of these plants are illegal to possess or cultivate in the United States.
Psychedelic drugs are notorious for carrying the risk of a "bad trip," which may spiritually confuse or disorient users. Psychoactives can still be largely beneficial when used in a sparing, informed, and limited capacity.

Some sacred places are associated with sacred events, such as the Hajj. It may make more sense to time your visit with religious calendars.

The spiritual journey is there to serve you, and though it may not be comfortable at times, you should be able to see how it is improving your relationship to yourself, others, and your sense of compassion.

Consulting Spiritual Sources

You may want to accompany your studies with educational courses. Universities, community colleges, and continuing education centers offer courses in the history of religious practices and texts.
If you do read scholarly texts alongside sacred texts, be aware that there is a difference between theology and "religious studies." Religious studies can be thought of as studying religion from its outside, while theology is often written by practitioners of that religion. [19] X Research source

Step 2 Consult public services that focus on spirituality.

Other civic institutions may have a chaplain on staff who are skilled guides when it comes to certain topics, such as grief or loss.
Such institutions include hospitals or army outposts, but you may need to be a regular user of their services to consult with their chaplain.

Step 3 Read or listen to popular spiritual sources.

Avoid figures that actively request financial support, promise reliable answers, or who seem to be selling something. Oftentimes, they are not counting your spiritual journey as a priority.
If you can afford it, traveling to retreats, camps, and spiritual meetups can be a healthy way to expand your horizons and meet new people.

Step 4 Don't be afraid to use community support.

Not only is this a way to find mentors, this is also may lead you to mentoring others, which can enrich your journey.

Community Q&A

Calculate Your Name Number in Numerology

↑ http://goodlifezen.com/how-to-embark-on-a-spiritual-journey/
↑ Zachary Rainey. Ordained Minister. Expert Interview. 19 May 2019.
↑ http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/how_to_create_and_use_a_mindfulness_journal
↑ http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/blog/9419/all-religions-practice-forms-of-meditation-meditation-is-a-universal-practice/
↑ http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-19.htm
↑ http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/pages/mental-benefits-of-exercise.aspx
↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916
↑ http://www.groupinstitute.com/useruploads/files/reflective_space_description1_2017.pdf
↑ http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/trip-treatment
↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/11124420/The-worlds-most-spiritual-places.html?frame=3053376
↑ Jessica Elliott, ACC, CEC. Certified Executive Coach. Expert Interview. 12 February 2020.
↑ https://lonerwolf.com/spiritual-journey/
↑ https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/theology-vs-religious-studies

About This Article

A spiritual journey can be a deeply personal and moving experience. While you can’t fully plan for a spiritual journey, there are some important tools you can use to help you make the most of it. Start by considering why you want to go on this journey. For instance, maybe you’re hoping to overcome a challenge in your life, or maybe you’re looking for personal transformation. No matter the reason, you’ll probably want to keep track of your feelings and set some goals for your journey. For example, if you want to become calmer and less angry, you might set time out of your day to simply sit and breathe deeply. Keep in mind that many spiritual journeys are lifelong affairs, so it's important to focus on small goals. No matter what you want to accomplish, find time each day to meditate and reflect in a calm, quiet spot. Make sure to take inventory of your thoughts, feelings, fears, and expectations as you go so you can learn and improve. To learn how to find spiritual support, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Journey Is the Destination - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 7

The Journey Is the Destination By Whitney Hopler

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” – James 4:13-15 NIV

Excitement turned to disappointment for me as I read a sign saying the road to Mount Mitchell was closed. My husband and I had planned to visit the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain in the eastern United States. Hiking at the mountain’s summit was the highlight of our trip itinerary. We had been looking forward to it for a long time. But when we arrived, we encountered many other disappointed people turning their cars around after reading that the road was closed. It was such a windy day that a tree may have fallen over the road, but the sign gave no official reason for the closure. I struggled to stay positive as we drove away from the one destination I had wanted to visit the most on our trip to North Carolina. But farther down the Blue Ridge Parkway, we discovered a visitor center that was open. In the gift shop, we found souvenir hoodies that featured this slogan promoting the parkway: “The journey is the destination.” Reflecting on that changed my mindset. What’s most important on our journey through life isn’t a specific destination. It’s the journey itself – the adventure we go on with Jesus from day to day.

We can make all sorts of bucket list plans . But those individual goals are far less important than simply enjoying the journey with Jesus. Rather than focusing on a specific destination, we grow in holiness as we follow where Jesus leads us. We can find ourselves in unexpected, surprising places. Our best, most carefully crafted plans can be completely changed.

Our future is uncertain. From our perspective, we can’t predict it. But from God’s omniscient perspective, everything is clear. Only God knows what will happen in our lives from day to day. God has great purposes for our lives, and he will help us fulfill those purposes no matter what happens.

So, when we make plans, we need to do so with flexibility. We shouldn’t expect that our plans will never fall through. James 4:15 urges us: “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” Every plan we make in our fallen world is uncertain. But God’s good plans for us are certain. God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 : “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” God alone holds our future in his hands . As Proverbs 19:21 points out: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

When we acknowledge God’s sovereignty in our plans, it transforms our perspective. We begin to see our lives not as a series of calculated moves, but as a journey guided by God’s purposes. We learn to hold our plans loosely. We allow room for God to intervene and redirect our paths according to his will. That frees us from the anxiety that’s tied to our desire for certainty. We release the burden of trying to control every outcome and instead rest in the assurance that God is orchestrating every detail for good purposes.

So, as we make plans, let’s do so with hearts surrendered to God’s will. We can find joy in the journey even when our path seems uncertain. God will be with us every step of the way!

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you reflect on making flexible plans, consider these questions:

How often do you consider God’s will when making plans for the future?
How do you react when your plans are disrupted or thwarted? What will help you trust that God has a greater purpose in those moments?
In what areas of your life do you struggle to surrender your plans to God’s will? How can you invite God to work in those areas?
What steps can you take to cultivate a mindset of humility and dependence on God in your daily planning?
How can you incorporate seeking God’s guidance through prayer into your decision-making process?

Further Reading: Proverbs 16:9 Psalm 37:5 Matthew 6:34 Ecclesiastes 3:1

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My Personal Testimony and Life Journey | A Memoir

by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.

First, "the facts" —

• I was born in 1943 to a Catholic family in Yonkers, New York. Dad was an FBI agent-in-training. Mom was an at-home mother of two — my older brother Tom and me. Later came my sister Kathy and brother Dennis.

• I grew up mostly in Virginia, then lived from age 10 through high school in Connecticut. After four years at St. Basil's Prep, then four more at Boston College, I did a trimester of graduate business study at University of Pittsburgh, then completed an MBA at Santa Clara University. Some years later I earned a Ph.D. in Church Administration from Trinity Theological Seminary. My doctoral thesis there has been published and has been used as a reference book at Fuller Theological Seminary, at the International School of Ministry (ISOM), and elsewhere.

• I have always had a love for aviation, so it was a natural thing for me to join the United States Air Force after graduate school. I was an officer in USAF from 1967 to 1971, completing my service to my country with the rank of captain. Although I was not an Air Force pilot, during those years I earned a Commercial Pilot license, with multi-engine, instrument, and float plane ratings, along with an FAA Certified Flight Instructor license. Still pursuing my love for aviation, I worked as an FAA air traffic controller in Anchorage, Alaska, from 1971-75. In 1975 I made a major change and entered full-time Christian ministry, retiring (or, as I like to put it more descriptively, "retiring from office hours") 31 years later in 2006.

Major events in my personal spiritual journey —

• At about age 9, while living in Falls Church, Virginia, I began to develop a heart for the Lord. All in our family were practicing Roman Catholics. I can recall, on my own volition, things like meeting my young buddy Chuck Maguire for special Monday evening services at our church.

• Around that time Father Heller, our parish priest, "prophesied" to my mother that "Jimmy is going to be a minister one day." Keep in mind that, to Catholics in that day, the word "minister" did not refer to Catholic priests, but to Protestant clergy. Only several decades later, after I had been a Pentecostal minister for many years, did my Mom tell me about Father Heller's prophetic prediction.

• I began to drift from Catholicism in my early college years. I wasn't finding "life" in it. In retrospect, I see now that I had been simply following the prescribed rites and rituals, but did not truly have anything resembling a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ . By my sophomore year at Boston College, I had pretty much just stopped going to church. I still believed in God and in Jesus Christ, but it was more of a sincere intellectual consent to their existence than a personal relationship of faith and love.

• After college I spent a term in the Fall of 1965 in graduate business school at the University of Pittsburgh. I was still a non-attender at any church, but I hadn't lost my general faith in God. One moonlit night I was looking out my dorm window and had what I can only describe as a "spiritual experience." I had a very strong sensation that there was something "more out there" in a spiritual sense. The impression was very powerful, but I didn't yet know how to find the answer.

• Not entirely pleased with the curriculum at Pittsburgh, I transferred in January 1966 to the MBA program at Santa Clara University. It turned out to be a good decision, both naturally and spiritually. I enjoyed the MBA program there very much and graduated with my degree one year later. More importantly, I came back under the good influence of my brother Tom, who to this day remains a dedicated, practicing Catholic who is strongly committed to the Lord. Although I did not return to Catholicism, I was impressed and influenced by Tom's personal Christian faith — and also by the faith and demeanor of some Christian friends I met at Santa Clara. I did not at that time make a personal faith commitment to the Lord, but I had been positively influenced in that direction in that turning-point year (1966) in grad school at Santa Clara.

• In 1967 I was a newly-commissioned lieutenant in the Air Force and was sent to my first assignment at Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage, Alaska. That turned out to be perhaps the major turning point in my spiritual journey. Because there in Anchorage in 1968 I met a young Christian college girl, who was known to all by her nickname "Mickey." She was the primary influence in leading me to a personal, committed faith relationship with Jesus Christ. I clearly saw, both in her words and in her exemplary character and lifestyle, that she had something on the spiritual level that I lacked and greatly needed. Over the course of six months, her testimony to me was having a powerful influence on my own mind and heart.

• In February 1969, I was on a temporary duty assignment from Alaska to McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington. Mickey was in college not far away in Portland, Oregon, so I saw her often on weekends. One day in Portland she took me to a book store where I bought a Bible. Back in my quarters on base in Tacoma, I began to read the New Testament avidly every night. As Psalm 119:130 (NKJV) says, "The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." That's what happened to me, there in the bachelor officers' quarters of McChord AFB in February 1969. As I devoured the Scriptures, truth filled my soul. I saw the reality of Jesus dying for our sins so that we might be saved from eternal judgment and spend eternity with him in heaven. Right there in my room I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ and asked Him to forgive my sins and make me a child of God. I was filled with a sense of forgiveness and of the goodness of God . And at the foot of my bed, in what I can best describe as a vision in my mind's eye, I saw Jesus reaching out His hands to me. The immediate impression I had was twofold: (1) He was accepting me as His own, and (2) His outstretched hands seemed to be beckoning me to give Him all of myself and my life. From that day on, my life has never been the same!

• After a short-term Air Force assignment to New York, I spent the next two years at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento. I continued to read my Bible avidly, in order to further my spiritual development. I attended a number of churches, but never quite found one that said to my heart, "This is the one to commit to." Then in March 1971 I completed my military service and moved back to Anchorage to begin what I thought would be a full career as an FAA air traffic controller.

• Back in Anchorage, I resumed my efforts to court Mickey, who by then had begun teaching school there. Eventually, that courtship succeeded, and we were married in 1972. By then we had become established in a great church, Abbott Loop Christian Center. Pastor Dick Benjamin became like a " spiritual father " to me in the things of the Lord. Pastor Benjamin was certainly, in the spectrum of my lifetime, the greatest positive human influence in my spiritual formation. I should mention that in April 1971, at a charismatic conference in Anchorage, I had received the baptism with the Holy Spirit , with the biblical evidence of speaking in tongues . That greatly influenced my direction into Pentecostal ministry in the years ahead.

• The years began to fly by! While still working for the FAA, I served as an off-staff, original faculty member of the Charismatic Bible College of Anchorage, which was established in January 1972. I left the FAA in early 1975 and began ministering full-time in the bible college, as a bible teacher and later as the Dean of the college. I was ordained as a bible teacher at Abbott Loop Christian Center in March 1975. Five years later I was also ordained at Abbott Loop as a pastor.

• That led to many of the subsequent years being spent in church planting and pastoring. First, in 1981, a team of Christian men and women were sent with me from Alaska to pioneer a Spirit-filled church in the suburbs north of New York City. I pastored that church from 1981 to 1985, when with the Lord's direction I turned the pastoral role over to my associate pastor and returned to Abbott Loop in Anchorage and resumed teaching in their Bible College.

• The Lord moved upon me to plant again. So in 1989 my family and I led another church-planting team to the Medford, Oregon, area. There we pioneered Medford Christian Center (later renamed South Valley Church), and I pastored it for 17 years until retiring from full-time ministry at age 63 in May 2006. Since then I have given my ministry energies primarily to the expansion of this bible website in which you are now reading my personal testimony. And I occasionally do some substitute preaching and bible teaching when asked to do so by my pastor here in Oregon.

• After nearly 38 wonderful years together, my wife Mickey went on to her reward in heaven. She was a woman of great faith. For example, after seven years without children, she had been healed miraculously by the Lord of a diagnosed infertility condition. After that healing, beginning in 1979 she bore us four children, who are all adults now and all actively serving the Lord.

• God has been good to me! In my time as a widower He brought back into my acquaintance a widow who, with her husband then, had been part of our Alaska church in the 1970s. Acquaintance grew into friendship, then love, and in July 2016 Linda and I celebrated our fifth anniversary of happy marriage . "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich!" (Proverbs 10:22, KJV).

• Linda and I are happily attending a wonderful local church near us: New Song Christian Fellowship in Springfield, Oregon . Together our family is comprised of seven grown children and their spouses (thankfully, all serving the Lord) and 24 grandchildren, six of them now married, and 9 great-grandchildren, with 3 more due for delivery in 2024. Four of our children and their families — including 15 of our grandchildren and all the great-grands — live near us in Oregon. The other three children and their families currently live in Oklahoma, Texas, and North Carolina.

• I am thankful to God for every chapter in my life — a wonderful, secure childhood … teen and early adult years in New England … a time of spiritual searching and discovery in my young adult years … the privilege of serving the Lord for 31 years in full-time ministry … 38 blessed years with my wife Mickey and the family she bore to us … and now a renewal of love and joy with my wife Linda, with whom I am praying for at least 20 years of serving the Lord and each other together in these, our later years.

• Thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this memoir of my spiritual journey. My hope is that you have been encouraged and helped forward in your own personal walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.

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327. Reflections on my Journey with God

Mike Parsons

My own journey and the experiences I have described to you over many years are just one example of what can happen, not something that everyone has to go through in the same way. Walk in relationship with the Father, and let Him set the agenda.

When I was fasting and engaging with God for the first time in 2010, I went through an exhaustive process of applying the blood of Jesus to the gateways of my soul, as I had heard Ian Clayton explain. It worked for me because of my disciplined nature, but I wouldn’t necessarily advise everyone to take that same approach. Instead, allow the Father to show you what He wants to deal with, and provide you with the right tools for that specific work. It’s about using the appropriate method for the job, rather than trying to force something that doesn’t fit.

Flexibility and responsiveness to the Holy Spirit are the key, not trying to impose a rigid, one-size-fits-all process. In something like Engaging God I can provide some resources, but nowadays I would advise letting the Father direct how they are applied in each person’s unique journey. Simply surrender as a living sacrifice, and allow Jesus, your High Priest, to prepare you. Keep walking in relationship with the Father, and let Him set the agenda. I have found that a formulaic, systematic approach is not the way God does things. Use the tools provided as the Spirit leads, not as a program to work through. Each person’s journey is unique, and t he relational, responsive approach led by the Father is far more effective than trying to systematically fix ourselves. So be at rest and do not strive.

The finished work of the cross is indeed complete, but we may not always be fully aware of (or benefiting from) everything that Jesus accomplished. Transformation comes through the renewing of our minds, as we come to a deeper realisation of God’s amazing unconditional love, limitless grace, and triumphant mercy. That is what enables us to change, not because we have to in order to be acceptable to God, but because the revelation of what He has already done for us leads us into transformation.

The journey of restoration and wholeness is a relational one, and the pace at which it unfolds is relative to each person’s unique circumstances. Some may experience swift breakthroughs, while others who are deeply broken may need more time to fully trust God and allow Him access to the depths of their being. The key is to simply follow God’s lead, without setting your own agenda. Present yourself daily as a living sacrifice, and let Him guide you on the path He has for you. Resist the temptation to compare yourself to others or try to figure it all out through your own knowledge and strength. Trust Him, enjoy the journey, and allow Him to bring things to the surface when the time is right. This keeps the process relational and joyful, rather than heavy or burdensome.

I believe that God will lead you into the wholeness and restoration He has for you, at the pace that is perfect for your unique journey. The invitation is to rest in His love, walk closely with Him, and let Him do the work. When we do that, the transformation He desires to bring about in us can unfold in a positive and life-giving way.

Mike’s YouTube Channel

These blog posts are based on videos posted on Mike’s YouTube channel. Want to see the latest ones as soon as they are published? Click the image below to subscribe at https://freedomarc.org/youtube

Author: Freedom ARC

Freedom Apostolic Resource Centre, Barnstaple, UK. View all posts by Freedom ARC

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