Spirituality’s Magnificent Seven

“Today admit your need, seek God’s help, celebrate his love, live for his glory, study his wisdom, work for his kingdom, rest in his grace.”

 ~Paul David Tripp

What if we could formulise the spiritual life? Seven nuances of faith are presented above and explored below:

1. Admitting Our Need

The most important step in addressing any weakness is admitting our need. It’s certainly the first step in 12-step programs of recovery. Everyone needs God whether they admit it or not. When we begin each day by admitting our need we recommit to re-establishing our spiritual search. Such a search embarked upon in earnestness avails us to the answer; an answer that unlocks our day.

2. Surrendering So We May Be Helped

Admitting our need leads to seeking God’s help. And the only way we may be helped is by surrendering our weakness, and surrendering in our weakness, before God who is the only One that can help. The more we admit we need help the more secure we are in the truth of life. Life sorts us out. Only in God do we have an adequate response, overall.

3. Celebrating How Much We Are Loved

The One that helps loves us. We give up on God, readily, but God never gives up on us. There is much to celebrate in this unconditional love that refuses to let go of us. Whenever we bask in God’s love the Fruit of the Spirit is returned to us. We are blessed in joy, peace, patience, and goodness, etc. For love, we grow in virtue.

4. Living For God’s Glory

It seems easier living for God’s glory when we understand, afresh, how much we are loved. It’s a very normal response to love God back in recognition for just how much we are loved. When we live for God’s glory our sacrifice is for love; we need no credit. Our privilege and our pleasure become united in the quest for wisdom.

5. Studying God’s Word

The great condition of our spiritual growth is our ongoing immersion in the Word of God—toward growth in wisdom. This is our lifeline to a fervent spirituality that keeps us growing in the good times and stable in the not-so-good times.

6. Working For The Kingdom’s Cause

With all of the foregoing stowed, energising our spiritual efforts, working for the Kingdom’s cause is an abounding freedom. And with every endeavour toward the Kingdom’s end we are affirmed that God is blessed as we work in our humble way.

7. At The End, And Always, Finding Rest In God

Symbolic of day’s end, and of Sabbath, we learn to rest and we enjoy it. Rest is earned, but mostly, we work out of rest. Finding rest in God is the necessary process for energising future conquests.

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Seven magnificent things God gives us: power at our admission of our need for help, nurture in his love, blessing to live for his glory, the ability to study his Word, the privilege to serve in his Kingdom, and the capacity for and enjoyment of rest.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.