We live in a very loud society. There is always something playing in the background: a television, a stereo, or a radio. We constantly put on our headphones or plug in our earbuds to pump in our own playlist or a podcast. I think that one of the master keys to developing spirituality is learning how to embrace periods of silence. It is in the silence that we learn to hear God’s voice. He doesn’t speak loudly but He does speak if we will train ourselves to listen.
There are several other keys to developing our spirituality. These have been described as spiritual disciplines that people have embraced for years to develop that area of their life. Embracing these will enrich your life and help you grow spiritually.
1. A love of the Scriptures. Christians believe that God inspired this Book and that He speaks to us through it. This does not mean that I have to turn my brain off. God will use our mind and heart together. There are plenty of modern translations available and with the many apps available, we can all have the Bible on our smart phone or tablet to read. The YouVersion app also has some excellent Bible reading plans to help someone get started.
2. Prayer. The early Christian mystics described prayer as spiritual breathing. Learning to converse with God is vital to having a healthy spiritual life. There are no magic formulas for prayer. If we believe that God is our Father, then we should approach him with the attitude of a child talking to their father. The Scriptures can actually assist us in our prayer time. There are numerous prayers listed in the Bible that someone can use to jumpstart their own conversation with God.
3. Being a part of a thriving Christian community. Many people have had bad experiences with the Church. There are, however, so many good healthy churches in the world that are doing tremendous work in their respective communities. Our spirituality is further developed as we find our place in such a group of people. God never intended that people live disconnected from Him or each other. Healthy relationships with other Christians is one of the most important things we can do to become a more spiritual person.
Just going to church, however, is not what develops our spirituality. We develop and grow as people as we serve others. Church provides many opportunities for us to serve and help meet practical needs. One example of this was something that my church did for many years. Several times a year, we would provide free salon services to single mothers in the community. Hair dressers and cosmetic experts would provide free makeovers to these single mothers. Other volunteers would provide child care, serve refreshments, or help with manicures. Those who volunteered testified to the satisfaction they felt from serving someone else.
4. Generosity. Jesus taught repeatedly about the relationship between our hearts and our money. There are many people who do not give any money to a local church or religious organization, yet still contribute money to organizations that are helping others and testify to the feeling of fulfillment that they have in giving. My church contributes thousands of dollars each month to twelve different ministries and charities. We support a local co-op, a local homeless shelter, organizations like Samaritan’s Purse and many others. We are only able to do this because our Christian community is composed of generous people! I have never met a generous person who was miserable. Generous people are some of the happiest and most fulfilled people on the planet.
By incorporating these spiritual disciplines into our lives, we can develop our spirituality. One way of approaching the idea of becoming a more spiritual person is by embracing the idea of developing our relationship with God. Because God is a spiritual Being, we must develop our spiritual side to get closer to Him.
Can you think of anything else that would help someone develop their spirituality?
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