10 Tips To Supercharge Your Spiritual Journey
Previously, we’ve discussed the realities of beginning our walk towards enlightenment. Do you feel like taking a bold new step in your life of faith, but don’t know where to start? Take a look at these ten tips on answering your call to adventure!
1. FIND YOUR UNIQUE PATH. Finding our personal path to God makes a big difference; if we simply walk the same path everyone else does, we miss out on connecting with God in an authentic, personal way. Check out our Spiritual Style Survey for more insight into how you best connect with God.
2. FIND A MENTOR. Sometimes we forget about our most valuable resource - our elders. More often than not, they have already encountered struggles similar to those that we are facing. When we struggle to find our direction, their wisdom and experience can provide a much-needed compass.
3. TUNE OUT TO TUNE IN. Our world inundates us with content that stimulates, informs and entertains, but often leaves us feeling empty. The more we see, hear or read about our world, the less we may actually care about any of it. Try taking a step back from the media - turn the TV off a bit earlier, put away the smartphone and go meet a friend for lunch - and enjoy renewal and clarity.
4. GET QUIET. Just as the world’s noise can make it difficult to think for ourselves, the noise in our minds can make it difficult to commune with our truest self. Test out different methods of calming, introspective activity, such as meditation, journaling, hiking or fishing.
5. ANSWER THE CALL. But don’t tune out the world entirely! In a world as fast-paced and globalized as ours, we must not become numb to the world’s needs. God can dwell in silence as well as in screams. That plea for help you hear just might be your call to action.
6. PUT YOUR TALENTS TO USE. Our calling is the intersection of our gifts and the world’s needs. When you encounter a need that strikes a chord, lend a hand! Our talents may seem unimportant when they are used just for ourselves, but in service to others, they become superpowers!
7. LEAVE COMFORT BEHIND. Thinking the same old thoughts and doing the same old routines doesn’t encourage fresh new ideas. When we push ourselves to do new things - or to do old things in new ways - we create a dynamic energy that God wants to be a part of. Try talking to someone new or getting better acquainted with someone you see every day but never get a chance to say more than “Hello” to.
8. SEEK MORE THAN THRILLS. While a heart-pounding adventure might give our lives a momentary jolt of excitement, a life lived simply chasing adrenaline does not lead to the answers we seek. Take the time to build deep relationships, grounded in love and trust, and any adventures that follow will be that much more meaningful.
9. LOOK EVERYWHERE. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus explains of God, “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” When we struggle to find our Heavenly Parent, it helps to take what we know of God, and notice its presence in every person, especially those we don’t get along with. The next time someone doesn’t hold the elevator, or you get stuck behind a slow driver, take a moment to examine that person with God’s eyes, and you will discover that God is closer than you thought!
10. CREATE UNITY. A harmonious life begins with uniting our mind and body, then extending that unity into our relationships with others. When we encounter life’s little conflicts, a good tip is to ask ourselves, “In this moment, right now, what can I do to create more unity?”
What tips do you have for embarking on the journey to a deeper life?