Are you feeling lost spiritually? Maybe you don’t know what to do or where to turn. If that’s the case, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, many Christians feel this way at some point in their lives. That’s why it’s important to have a solid spiritual foundation – one that can help guide you through tough times. If you’re looking for tips on how to strengthen your spiritual foundation, read on!
On a walk one evening, I noticed an especially large tree towering over others about 25 yards within a wooded area. A little closer to exploring the woods, I saw it was a large Red Oak tree probably more than seventy-five years old. One thing is certain it has withstood droughts, storms, diseases, firewood cuttings, and who knows what else for decades.
For me, there is something stately about large old trees. They represent strength, endurance, and a sense of permanence.
Of course, there are many things needed for a tree to become strong and tall, but in general, like any other plant, they require a sufficient balance of three basic things, sunlight, water, and soil. If those three are present in balanced quantity and quality, they will, over time, produce a large, healthy, stately old tree. One which will help provide clean air, purer water, and better soil.
For decades it will provide locations among its limb and branches for birds and squirrels to nest. It will offer protection and covering for other animals, insects, and even humans, not to mention the incredible offering of beauty and ambiance to the landscape hosting its decades-long life.
If any of those three basic elements are missing or imbalanced, they are far more vulnerable to disease, hindered growth mired of their full potential, and susceptible to a shorter life span.
Honestly, people are much the same in needing three basic essentials for a strong, healthy, enduring, and purposeful life. Without these three or without their presence in equal and healthy balance, the effects are similar in that the results manifest in a lesser quality of life.
I’m not speaking of our physical beings, though science has equated depression, stress, and despair as contributing to physical decline, but I am referring to our emotional and soulish qualities and being.
Our architect is God, who placed within our design the necessity of his presence as the catalyst for our emotional health. Of course, he first has to be invited in to even get the life he intended properly started. Once genuine new life is generated as he originally engineered, then three balanced essentials are regularly required for the continued healthy growth of our spiritual and emotional being.
The Three Essentials for A Healthy You
What are these special emotional and soulish nutrients so essential for your continued strength and stamina? They are simple really, and certainly familiar to most, but they are nonetheless vital for you and unfortunately neglected by many. The neglect of these essentials always results in a downward spiral of strength and optimism. Those who write them off as old-fashioned or non-essentials in a modern progressive world eventually will experience a decline in spiritual and emotional health. Those alerts, who give intention and consistency to these essentials, will find themselves able to endure things with inward peace and confidence as these three essentials are the ingredients of unwavering hope.
They are:
- The Word: By that, I am referring to the Bible, which produces light and life in us. You cannot simply own a Bible to display on a bookshelf or coffee table; it must be read and studied. When you are sick and an antibiotic is prescribed by your physician, it will not produce results for you by simply sitting it on your countertop; you have to take it in.
The Bible is the same. You will soon discover yourself sifting through the pages of the Bible in anticipation of finding a new gem for yourself and waiting to drink in its abundant, life-giving qualities and truths. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. – Psalm 119:105.
- Prayer: Pray constantly. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17. This may be the more challenging of the three. Certainly, the Bible is packed with the words pray and prayers. Every one of God’s people prayed, and most prayed frequently. Certainly, Jesus modeled a life filled with prayer and if we want to be followers of Jesus Christ we have to embrace prayer as an important part of our lives as well.
Bible reading is pretty easily understood and more tangible, but prayer inches into that non-tangible mystical realm. If you can think of it as a conversation with God, it is more easily understood. And, a good conversation with someone always involves time, listening, patience, as well as talking (maybe before talking).
Jesus gave us an incredible model and outline to use in prayer and it’s found in the Bible in Matthew 6:9-13.
- Biblical Fellowship: All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship… – Acts 2:42 Family and friends are intended to be enjoyed and appreciated, but in the family of God with Christ as our common denominator, there is a depth of community devotion offered and unequaled by any organization anywhere. When properly executed and practiced, biblical fellowship produces a bond of devotion and trust which provides you with a safe place and encouraging spiritually organic abode. Genuine Christianity is designed to be a shared life with one another around Christ our perfect and certain hope.
