Christian Spiritual Health

A Contemplative Framework for Self-Development

Core Principle: Discerning the Will of the Creator

As you improve your spiritual fitness, you focus upon discerning the will of your Creator rather than focusing too heavily on immediate anxieties, fears, and noise. For some, this language—discerning the will of your Creator—is problematic, perhaps because the language is too anthropomorphic. So don't make your Creator in your tiny, insignificant image.

The point is to zoom your thinking way, way, WAY out beyond human-centric petty wants and needs or human-centric navel-gazing, to zoom your physical box of situational awareness dimensionally out beyond your geographic confines to see the world from deep outer space, to zoom your conception of time beyond the moment or your immediate concerns and to view time from the perspective of tens of thousands of years.

The Foundation of Spiritual Fitness

The REASON that SPIRITUAL fitness matters more than all other forms of fitness combined is that the Creator is still creating.

Embrace the will of the Creator. Err on the side of trying to observe and understand, rather than being so defensive and reactionary—embrace the suck, embrace the disappointment from humans, embrace the humility, embrace being unappreciated or taken for granted, because humans CANNOT understand the nature of God.

GOD NEVER WENT ON VACATION and never will. You were created in God's image—you do not get to create God in your image. That means see the big picture... that means that you are to trust that your instincts will allow you to defend yourself and react appropriately, i.e., you will still swat mosquitoes; when your hand is on a warming stove, you will need to move it or get burned... but you don't need to flail about dramatically like some flighty prey animal—you can ditch the drama and behave like an apex predator.

That's what the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was about.

Part I: Daily Contemplative Practice

Morning Framework: System Design Meditation

Begin each day by programming your thinking with contemplative questions. Consider biblical system architecture with conscious lived expression. Review compliance to divine code as spiritual practice.

Daily Questions for Morning Contemplation

  1. How can I discern God's will from my own desires today?

    • Proverbs 16:9 (ESV): "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."

  2. What is my relationship with time in this present moment?

    • Psalm 90:12 (ESV): "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

  3. How can I live a life of constant prayer throughout this day?

    • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

  4. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus today?

    • Luke 9:23 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

  5. Does my daily work, even if it seems secular, matter to God?

    • Genesis 2:15 (ESV): "The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

Evening Review and Integration

  1. What should be my life's highest priority as I reflect on today?

    • Matthew 6:33 (ESV): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

  2. How should the reality of Christ's return affect how I lived today?

    • 2 Peter 3:11, 14 (ESV): "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness..."

Part II: Weekly Contemplative Cycle

The Nature of Struggle and Victory

Each week, contemplate the ongoing tension between flesh and spirit, examining both struggles and victories.

Weekly Questions for Sabbath Reflection

  1. If I am forgiven, why do I still struggle with sin?

    • Romans 7:24-25 (ESV): "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

  2. What is the value of rest and sabbath in a busy world?

    • Mark 2:27 (ESV): "And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'"

  3. How do I know if something is a sin if the Bible doesn't mention it specifically?

    • Romans 14:23 (ESV): "But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."

  4. What does it mean to "die to self"?

    • Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

  5. How can I find rest for my soul?

    • Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV): "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

  6. What is the biblical perspective on anger?

    • Ephesians 4:26 (ESV): "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger."

  7. What is the meaning of the "fear of the LORD"?

    • Proverbs 9:10 (ESV): "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

Part III: Monthly Contemplative Themes

Month 1: Understanding the Nature of God

  1. How can a single God exist as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

    • Matthew 28:19 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

  2. How can God's perfect love coexist with His perfect justice?

    • Romans 3:25-26 (ESV): "...whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith."

  3. Is God's love for humanity unconditional?

    • Romans 5:8 (ESV): "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

  4. Does God change His mind?

    • Malachi 3:6 (ESV): "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed."

Month 2: The Person and Work of Christ

  1. Was Jesus truly God, or just a good man?

    • John 1:1, 14 (ESV): "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..."

  2. Why did Jesus have to be both fully God and fully man?

    • Hebrews 2:17 (ESV): "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect..."

  3. Does God truly understand my pain and temptation?

    • Hebrews 4:15 (ESV): "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses..."

Month 3: Salvation and Grace

  1. What does it mean that salvation is by grace through faith?

    • Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith..."

  2. If I am saved by grace, why does my obedience to God still matter?

    • James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

  3. What is the relationship between faith and good works?

    • Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith... For we are his workmanship..."

  4. How does God's grace empower me to live a holy life?

    • Titus 2:11-12 (ESV): "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people..."

Month 4: The Problem of Suffering

  1. If God is good and all-powerful, why does He allow evil and suffering to exist?

    • Romans 8:28 (ESV): "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good..."

  2. Is my suffering a punishment for some specific sin?

    • John 9:2-3 (ESV): "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

  3. What is the Christian response to tragedy and natural disasters?

    • Luke 13:4-5 (ESV): "Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them..."

  4. Why do the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer?

    • Psalm 73:16-17 (ESV): "But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task..."

Month 5: Purpose and Vocation

  1. Why did God create me, and what is the ultimate meaning of life?

    • 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV): "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

  2. How do I discover my specific calling or vocation?

    • Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..."

  3. How should a Christian view ambition and the pursuit of success?

    • Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit..."

  4. What is the biblical definition of a "successful" life?

    • Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you..."

Month 6: Sin and Sanctification

  1. What is sin, and why is it so serious?

    • Romans 6:23 (ESV): "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life..."

  2. Are some sins worse than others in God's eyes?

    • James 2:10 (ESV): "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it."

  3. What is the unpardonable sin?

    • Mark 3:28-29 (ESV): "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man..."

  4. Is it possible to reach a state of sinless perfection in this life?

    • Philippians 3:12 (ESV): "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect..."

Month 7: Forgiveness and Reconciliation

  1. Why must I forgive those who have wronged me?

    • Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV): "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you..."

  2. How can I forgive someone who isn't sorry?

    • Colossians 3:13 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other..."

  3. How should I respond to people who are difficult to love?

    • Luke 6:27-28 (ESV): "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..."

  4. How does the gospel address issues of shame and guilt?

    • Romans 8:1 (ESV): "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Month 8: Marriage and Relationships

  1. What is the purpose of marriage?

    • Genesis 2:24 (ESV): "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife..."

  2. What are the respective roles of a husband and wife in a Christian marriage?

    • Ephesians 5:25, 33 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church..."

  3. How should Christians view singleness?

    • 1 Corinthians 7:8 (ESV): "To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single..."

  4. How do I deal with loneliness?

    • Psalm 68:6 (ESV): "God settles the solitary in a home..."

Month 9: The Church and Community

  1. What is the purpose of the Church?

    • Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists..."

  2. Why is it important to belong to a local church?

    • Hebrews 10:25 (ESV): "...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some..."

  3. What is the significance of baptism?

    • Romans 6:4 (ESV): "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death..."

  4. What is the significance of the Lord's Supper (Communion)?

    • 1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV): "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup..."

  5. How can the Church maintain unity amidst diversity?

    • Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV): "...with all humility and gentleness, with patience..."

Month 10: Christian Living in the World

  1. How should Christians relate to the world around them?

    • Matthew 5:14, 16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world..."

  2. What is the Great Commission, and how do I participate in it?

    • Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..."

  3. What is the Christian's relationship to government and secular laws?

    • Romans 13:1 (ESV): "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."

  4. How should a Christian engage with politics and civic life?

    • Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV): "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile..."

Month 11: Spiritual Disciplines and Growth

  1. Is faith simply a blind leap, or is it based on evidence?

    • 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (ESV): "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received..."

  2. What is the purpose of God's Law (e.g., the Ten Commandments)?

    • Galatians 3:24 (ESV): "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came..."

  3. What is the purpose of spiritual authority and submission?

    • Hebrews 13:17 (ESV): "Obey your leaders and submit to them..."

  4. What does it mean to be a "living sacrifice"?

    • Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God..."

Month 12: Eternal Perspective

  1. What happens to a person's soul immediately after they die?

    • 2 Corinthians 5:8 (ESV): "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body..."

  2. What will our resurrected bodies be like?

    • Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven..."

  3. What are the "new heavens and the new earth"?

    • Revelation 21:1 (ESV): "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."

  4. How does the hope of heaven help us endure earthly suffering?

    • Romans 8:18 (ESV): "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing..."

Part IV: Seasonal Contemplation

Spring: New Life and Renewal

Questions for the Season of Resurrection

  1. What does it mean to live in freedom from sin's power?

    • Romans 6:14 (ESV): "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."

  2. How can I live a life that has an eternal impact?

    • Matthew 6:19-20 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth..."

  3. What is true greatness in God's kingdom?

    • Mark 10:43-45 (ESV): "But it shall not be so among you..."

Summer: Growth and Service

Questions for the Season of Fruitfulness

  1. What is the Christian's responsibility toward the poor and marginalized?

    • Proverbs 31:8-9 (ESV): "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute."

  2. What is the Christian's obligation to seek justice in society?

    • Isaiah 1:17 (ESV): "...learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression..."

  3. Does God have a specific plan for my life?

    • Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV): "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD..."

Fall: Harvest and Thanksgiving

Questions for the Season of Gratitude

  1. What is the ultimate purpose of all creation, including humanity?

    • Romans 11:36 (ESV): "For from him and through him and to him are all things..."

  2. Can the Bible contain errors?

    • Psalm 119:160 (ESV): "The sum of your word is truth..."

  3. How do I balance grace and truth in my relationships?

    • John 1:14 (ESV): "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."

Winter: Waiting and Preparation

Questions for the Season of Contemplation

  1. What should I do when God feels distant or silent?

    • Psalm 13:1-2 (ESV): "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?"

  2. Is it a sin to be angry with God?

    • Job 10:1-2 (KJV): "My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself..."

  3. Is it wrong to have doubts about my faith?

    • Mark 9:24 (ESV): "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"

  4. Why does God sometimes delay in answering prayer?

    • 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness..."

Part V: Annual Contemplation Cycle

The Technological-Spiritual Integration Framework

As we move forward in the 21st century, genuine spiritual growth requires engagement with, rather than withdrawal from, humanity's technological evolution. This framework recognizes that the traditional dichotomy between spiritual practice and technological engagement is obsolete.

Annual Development Themes

Year 1-3: Foundation Building
  • Master the integration of contemplative practices with modern life
  • Develop expertise in using technology as a tool for spiritual growth
  • Build competency in ethical decision-making in a digital age
  • Learn to see daily work as consciousness exploration
Year 4-7: Advanced Integration
  • Master the balance between digital engagement and spiritual depth
  • Develop frameworks for human flourishing in technological contexts
  • Create systems for perpetual learning and growth
  • Build practices for collective spiritual development
Year 8-25: Long-Term Vision
  • Design practices for sustained spiritual growth across decades
  • Build legacy systems of faith and practice
  • Develop tools for future generations' spiritual development
  • Create frameworks for continued evolution in faith

Annual Questions for Deep Reflection

  1. If God is sovereign, does that negate human responsibility and free will?

    • Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV): "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..."

  2. How can I reconcile my faith with the findings of modern science?

    • Psalm 19:1 (ESV): "The heavens declare the glory of God..."

  3. What if I find parts of the Bible difficult to believe or morally troubling?

    • Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts..."

  4. Can anything separate me from God's love?

    • Romans 8:38-39 (ESV): "For I am sure that neither death nor life..."

  5. How can a Christian face the reality of their own death without fear?

    • Psalm 23:4 (KJV): "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."

  6. What is the final judgment, and on what basis will people be judged?

    • Revelation 20:12 (ESV): "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne..."

  7. For believers in Christ, what is the nature of their judgment?

    • Romans 8:1 (ESV): "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

  8. What does the Bible teach about the reality of hell?

    • Matthew 25:46 (ESV): "And these will go away into eternal punishment..."

  9. Will we know each other in heaven?

    • 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV): "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face..."

  10. Should we try to predict the date of Christ's return?

    • Matthew 24:36 (ESV): "But concerning that day and hour no one knows..."

  11. What is the ultimate destiny of Satan and the forces of evil?

    • Revelation 20:10 (ESV): "...and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire..."

  12. Will there be rewards in heaven?

    • 1 Corinthians 3:13-14 (ESV): "...each one's work will become manifest..."

  13. What does it mean that God will be "all in all"?

    • 1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV): "When all things are subjected to him..."

  14. How does the concept of covenant shape the entire biblical story?

    • Genesis 17:7 (ESV): "And I will establish my covenant between me and you..."

  15. What is the Christian view of history?

    • Ephesians 1:10 (ESV): "...as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him..."

  16. How does the Bible address racial and ethnic division?

    • Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek..."

  17. How do I overcome fear and anxiety with faith?

    • Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "fear not, for I am with you..."

  18. What is the ultimate summary of our human duty?

    • Ecclesiastes 12:13 (ESV): "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments..."

Part VI: The Way of Development

Developing Our Lives Through Distributed Self-Governance

The best method to develop our lives is through distributed self-governance based upon life lived per the example of Jesus Christ. This requires:

  1. Autodidactic Education: Learning to educate oneself prevents slavery to others' thinking
  2. Sovereign Authority: Refusing to abdicate individual responsibility
  3. Informed Living: Using tools and technologies judiciously while avoiding dependence
  4. Programmed Development: Choosing what shapes and forms our thinking

The Discipline of Non-Comparison

The way of spiritual maturity captures the eternal ideal of Jesus Christ's life example, because that way is to never be distracted by comparisons or what others are doing—to ONLY seek the will of the Creator.

We are blessed to live in an age where we get to use ridiculously capable technologies to program ourselves. It's GET TO, not have to. So with gratitude, you can choose to PROGRAM YOURSELF.

Resistance to False Programming

The conventional wisdom or all of the stuff you're being told is not just mostly wrong and possibly bad for you; there's a good chance that the message was crafted and tailored for you to make you feel powerless.

Stop watching or believing movies. Stop being programmed by fake stories, fake actors, fake images. Start controlling how you are programmed.

You cannot really resist being programmed or shaped by what you consume—you are what you eat, in every sense of the word. But you can be more mindful as you focus on discerning the will of the Creator and ask the Lord to bless each morsel you consume with reverence and appreciation for how it helps you become the being the Creator intended.

The Call to Sovereignty

You must REFUSE to abdicate your sovereign individual authority.

It's on YOU to develop the capability to wield information technology in a manner that actually gives you something approaching TRUE information. Information never comes in the form of an easy answer or a nice story—information, like opportunity, shows up looking like work and something that unsettles you and tells you that you have to get after the task of gathering intelligence and fighting for your independence as a sovereign individual, as you were created.

Recognizing Manipulation

Refuse to be misled. Remember that false prophets and engineers of fake information are exquisitely skilled in their craft, using carrot and stick to manipulate your thinking:

  • The carrot approach makes you feel warm and fuzzy, entertained, or reassured
  • The stick approach makes you question your faith, terrifies you, or beats you down into powerlessness

Both approaches aim to get you to abdicate your sovereign authority as an independent, informed, mindful individual, as you were created.

Part VII: Questions for Church Community and Accountability

For Small Group Discussion

  1. What is the biblical process for confronting another believer about their sin?

    • Matthew 18:15 (ESV): "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault..."

  2. What is church discipline and why is it necessary?

    • 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (ESV): "For what have I to do with judging outsiders?"

  3. How should Christians handle disagreements over non-essential doctrines?

    • Romans 14:1 (ESV): "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him..."

  4. What does the Bible say about gossip and slander?

    • Proverbs 16:28 (ESV): "A dishonest man spreads strife..."

  5. What is the Great White Throne Judgment?

    • Revelation 20:11 (ESV): "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it..."

  6. Will animals be in the new creation?

    • Isaiah 11:6 (ESV): "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb..."

Conclusion: The Integration of All Things

As you develop this discipline of focusing upon discerning the will of your Creator, you will become much, much, MUCH less anxious. Long-term, massive reductions in anxiety are one way of knowing whether your approach is working. This is not like the temporary euphoria you might feel at a tent revival or life-changing event. This is a permanent, long-term, massive, and constantly improving reduction in anxiety.

With freedom from anxiety comes the ability to get off the hamster wheel and make smarter, more stable decisions, and to avoid blatantly stupid physical behaviors—using substances to relax, food as an emotional crutch, or thinking that you need constant escape.

The moments of your life program you to become you. It's up to you to control those moments and develop your life, avoiding junk objectives or becoming a slave to possessions that behave as liabilities. Develop only those aspects of life that perform as assets.

We are competing against our ideal selves, the perfect self that our Creator intended us to exhibit. This competition is impossibly daunting, and every day is full of failures. We can chase our ideal, we can rarely attain it even for moments, but it is completely impossible to attain when we compare ourselves to others or use any yardstick of materialist life as an indicator of success.

Christian spiritual health forms the cornerstone of holistic wellbeing, influencing all other aspects of life through prayer, scripture engagement, and spiritual practices. This contemplative framework encourages intentional spiritual development while recognizing the interconnected nature of spiritual health with all dimensions of life.