Being spiritual means connecting to something greater than ourselves. It involves seeking meaning, purpose, and truth. Spirituality is about our relationship with God, ourselves, others, and creation. According to the Bible, we are spiritual beings created in God’s image with an innate capacity for spirituality. True spirituality comes from God and is centered on loving and obeying Him.
The spiritual side of human nature
The Bible teaches that human beings have both a physical and a spiritual nature (Genesis 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our physical bodies are temporary and will eventually die, but our spirits live on eternally. God created us as spiritual beings with a hunger for the spiritual world (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We have a God-given spirit that can relate to God who Himself is Spirit (John 4:24). Our spirits need spiritual nourishment just as our bodies need physical nourishment.
Seeking after God
Being spiritual means seeking after God and pursuing a relationship with Him. God designed us to know and love Him, and we will never be truly satisfied apart from Him (Psalm 42:1-2). Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). Spirituality is cultivating our connection to God through Bible study, prayer, worship, fellowship and obedience to His Word. It is making God the supreme focus and passion of our lives.
Living by the Spirit
The Bible contrasts walking by the flesh vs. walking by the Spirit (Romans 8:1-17; Galatians 5:16-26). To be spiritual means submitting to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives rather than being controlled by our sinful nature. It means relying on the Spirit’s power and yielding to His guidance in our thoughts, attitudes, behaviors and relationships. Spirituality expresses itself through the Spirit’s fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Loving and serving others
Spirituality also has a social dimension. When our lives are centered on God, we will become more loving, compassionate and service-oriented toward others. We will see people as God sees them and treat them as He would. The Bible says our spirituality is reflected in how we care for those in need like the poor, widows and orphans (James 1:27, Isaiah 58:6-7). Spirituality motivates us to use our gifts and talents to serve God’s purposes in the world (1 Peter 4:10-11).
Pursuing holiness and righteousness
A key part of spirituality is striving to become more like Christ in our character (Philippians 1:9-11). The Bible teaches us to put off the old self corrupted by sinful desires and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). We cannot transform ourselves, but God is at work in us by the Spirit to produce increasing holiness as we yield ourselves fully to Him (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Romans 6:19, 22).
Finding meaning and purpose
Spirituality involves the pursuit of meaning, purpose and truth. We are created by God and for God, so finding spiritual purpose and meaning in Him gives our lives significance (Ephesians 1:11-12). The spiritual life seeks to understand why we are here, where we came from and where we are going. It provides perspective on suffering, death and eternity. The Bible teaches that real meaning is found in loving God, loving people and fulfilling the purpose He has designed for each of us (Matthew 22:37-39, Ephesians 2:10).
Cultivating spiritual disciplines
Certain spiritual disciplines help nurture our relationship with God including:
– Prayer – Communicating with God (Philippians 4:6-7)
– Bible study – Hearing God’s voice (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
– Worship – Expressing love and awe for God (Psalm 95:1-6)
– Meditation – Reflecting on God and His truth (Psalm 1:2)
– Fasting – Seeking God with greater intensity (Matthew 6:16-18)
– Fellowship – Mutual encouragement in the faith (Hebrews 10:24-25)
– Service – Expressing love through good deeds (Matthew 25:31-40)
– Stewardship – Using resources wisely for God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 4:2)
These practices help us draw nearer to God and live out our spirituality.
The Holy Spirit’s transforming work
Spirituality is not something we can manufacture through our own efforts. It is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. When we put our faith in Christ, the Spirit comes to live within us (Romans 8:9-11) and begins His sanctifying work to make us more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Spirit cultivates spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and desires in us. He guides and empowers us to fulfill our purpose in God’s kingdom. Our part is to yield ourselves to the Spirit’s leading and depend on His strength rather than our own.
Becoming more Christlike
The ultimate goal of spirituality is to become more like Jesus Christ. He is the perfect reflection of who God is (Colossians 1:15). The Bible calls followers of Jesus to live as He did, loving God wholeheartedly and loving people sacrificially (1 John 2:6, 1 Peter 2:21). The more time we spend beholding Christ in Scripture, the more the Spirit transforms us into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our lives display true spirituality when others see the character, compassion and power of Christ reflected in us.
Kingdom focus and values
Part of spirituality is aligning ourselves with God’s kingdom values rather than the world’s values. Jesus contrasted the kingdom of God with the values of this fallen world (Matthew 5-7). As we grow spiritually, we will view life more and more from an eternal perspective. Our priorities, time, talents, and treasures will be invested into building God’s kingdom rather than our own (Matthew 6:19-21, 33). Selfless service and sacrifice for the gospel become compelling motivators as we recognize our purpose is greater than this life (Mark 8:35-36; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Overflow of intimacy with God
True spirituality flows out of a genuinely intimate relationship with God. Just going through spiritual motions is not the goal. The Pharisees followed religious routines without their hearts being close to God (Luke 11:42). Spiritual maturity means having a deep, personal, intimate walk with God, not just external spirituality. It is a real, vital connection with the living God affecting every area of our lives from the inside out. As we draw close to God, love Him and experience His love, our lives naturally radiate His glory.
In summary, Biblical spirituality encompasses all of existence relating to God and His truth. It includes our relationship with Him based on Christ’s redemption, the Spirit’s work in us, and expressing godly character and purpose. True spirituality transforms us from the inside out into Christlike beings who fulfill our created purpose of glorifying God, enjoying Him forever and serving His kingdom purposes in the world.