Conducting a Spiritual Checkup

Conducting a Spiritual Health Check
Acts 1-5
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42).
Every year I go to the doctor for my yearly checkup. As I get older, it becomes more important because my risk for health issues increases. What is true of our physical bodies is equally true of our spiritual life. We need to continually conduct a spiritual checkup to evaluate our spiritual vitality. However, we often think that the longer we are a Christian, the less important it becomes because we have become more mature in our faith. This is a false illusion. When we look in the pages of Scripture, we discover that many who failed in their spiritual relationship with God did so toward the end of their lives. They started well but finished poorly. David had a heart for God and was referred to as the friend of God, but toward the end of his life he fell into the sin of adultery. Solomon was regarded as the wisest man on earth, but for all his wisdom he embraced folly when he became obsessed with the pursuit of pleasure. Abraham became the father of our faith and an example of complete trust, but he became fearful when there was a threat from men. The list goes on. Most biblical men of faith failed to maintain their faith when they grew old. The danger in our Christian life is familiar. Familiarity does not breed contempt, but it can breed complacency. When we embrace Christ at the moment of salvation, we worship and rejoice in the grace and mercy of God. However, the longer we walk with God, the greater the risk that our faith becomes common and familiar, and we become complacent. Without intentional safeguards, we can become susceptible to temptation.
We must stay vigilant in our faith and remember that the longer we walk with God, the greater the risk of spiritual complacency. Consequently, a healthy Christian continually conducts a spiritual checkup.  As the early church was being established, it centered on four key components that provide a foundation for assessing our spiritual health and vitality. Just as our physical health is indicated by certain indicators (i.e., blood pressure, cholesterol levels, physical fitness), so our spiritual health can be examined by these four measurements. The first is the importance of biblical instruction. Spiritual health starts with a steady diet of the word of God. This involves not only spending personal time studying the Bible but also regularly attending a church where we are taught by people called by God to preach his word. The second measure is the importance of fellowship, which is closely interwoven with the first. However, fellowship is more than merely attending a church service once a week. It is active participation in the church congregation and the mutual encouragement that comes when we exercise our spiritual gifts to encourage others. Third is the breaking of bread. The breaking of bread is the act of communion in which the congregation joins together in mutual worship of God for the salvation Christ has given us. A healthy Christian is one who prioritizes worshiping God with the community of God’s people so that we might be reminded of the greatness of God. Lastly, a healthy Christian is devoted to prayer. However, prayer is more than just asking God’s blessing or help; it is an ongoing dialogue and dependency upon God, and the seeking of his purpose and will for our life. Just as we can be physically at risk when just one of the indicators shows a weakness, so also we can be spiritually at risk when one of these indicators is missing in our life. The tragedy today is that we spend a great deal of time devoted to maintaining our physical health (which is a good thing), but spend very little time devoted to our spiritual health. Are you healthy spiritually?