INSIDEOUT: blue

By Andrea Guachalla

Our plans have changed, our routines have changed, there is no way we can plan things ahead with the certainty that everything will fall into place, and we’ve been challenged to adapt our routines again and again according to the regulations our country is taking in this Corona-time, Coronaland, the land of all. 

We’ve realized how suddenly our plans can be turned down, and how powerless we are in the face of a changing world that refuses to stop spinning so quickly. One of the things we’ve learned is that the world doesn’t stop and wait until we overcome our frustration or disappointment to show us that the clock is ticking. 

We’ve learned that as humans we are subdued to this vile dimension called TIME. Remember? We are essentially prisoners in this fourth dimension. We cannot escape from it, but we can use it wisely for God’s Glory.

In the face of all that is taking place around the world, we have one thing in common besides all of us being under the gracious wings of a Holy God, and that is that we have time. Time to worry, time to be frustrated, time to learn, time to read, time to re-plan, time to… GROW.

But the question is, how are we using this time? Are we more aware of our time management patterns and how that reflects our priorities? We must be aware of that. We are humans, and if we believe in Christ our savior who died for our sins and reconciled us with God, then we are here to pursue holiness and growth for God’s glory. Grow insideout.

But, how does that look on a daily basis? How do we know we are investing our time wisely? How do we prioritize our spiritual life above all else?

A few weeks ago we started this article series called Rubik’s Cube where we compared personal growth in different dimensions of our lives to each color of the cube. We also agreed that in life it’s necessary to focus on one dimension in order to bring growth to all the rest, the same way that to solve a cube we must focus on one color first which will be the basis for solving the rest of it. 

In this article, we will talk about the spiritual dimension that we compared with the color BLUE, which is the most important dimension because it focuses primarily on our relationship with God as the basis for our lives as Christians. Nurturing our relationship with Christ is what will ultimately help us understand our God-given roles, set goals, and steward our time wisely. 

So let me give an introduction on why the spiritual dimension of our lives is so important, and then I will share some practical tips and ways I use to nurture my relationship with God focused on what our Lord says in His Word:

“Love God with all your heart, mind and soul”

Matthew 22:37, English Standard Version

I hope this will encourage you to meditate on how you’re investing your time in this period of crisis around the world, and that it encourages you to focus on nurturing your personal walk with our Savior.

SPIRITUAL DIMENSION

This one is the most important because it focuses on your primary identity: child of God. First and foremost you are a Christian saved by the grace of God by believing in Christ. Your life is about getting to know our Lord Jesus Christ and being shaped in His likeness. Your whole existence is about loving Him more deeply every day and letting the Lord guide your steps as you actively seek to serve Him.

Having a growing relationship with your Savior will make all the rest fall into place. Focusing on Christ and our Holy Father will bring growth in all other areas, and allow you to use your time, gifts, and resources for God’s glory! Not for your own glory. Therefore, it is important to take disciplined action towards getting to know our Savior and having a consistent relationship with Him.

In a daily basis for me, this means that I will…

Intentionally spend time in God’s Word and approach Him in prayer

The Bible says that “The word of God pierces the soul, spirit, joints, discerns thoughts and the intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Spending time in His word and prayerfully seeking His counsel are the things that bring real growth to our relationship with Christ and progressively shape us into His image. Whether you do this in the morning, in the evening, while you are having lunch or dinner, it is of utter importance to do it!

An analogy that helps me understand this is: when you love someone you spend time with that person, and you certainly invest time in doing so and getting to know that person’s desires, character, and will. The same way, loving Christ and being grateful with God is what will motivate us to spend time studying His Word where He reveals His character and His will, His plans and purpose for His creation.

You can find many resources on the internet that offer daily devotionals, or you can start by choosing a book of the Bible yourself and read one chapter each day, take some notes and then spend some time in prayer. Down below you can find a link to Tabletalks from Ligonier, which is the resource I use to study God’s Word daily.

Something that I consider very helpful and enriching too is to…

Read Christian literature

We know that the Bible is sufficient, and our final authority. And because it’s God’s Word we should always test what we hear and what we read with what the Bible teaches. Our Lord is merciful and gracious and He gives us the ability to distinguish sound teaching that comes from His Word and teachings that oppose His wisdom and His teachings.

With time I’ve found that reading sound-Christian books, articles, and/or reviews that teach, explain or analyze Biblical truths, and that leads you to meditate on God’s Word is very helpful and it’s certainly a good use of our time since all of this will lead us to practice what we learn. 

According to the season I’m in, or the difficulties I’m enduring at the time, I like to make a list of books that I would like to read during the next months and then I plan a timetable that helps me organize my reading-time. It is important to note here that there are countless Christian books, articles, and other literary resources but not all of them are actually grounded on the Bible, so it is necessary to assess which resources teach sound doctrine, and which ones don’t. 

I personally tend to seek advice from my pastor or mature Christians from church so they can recommend resources to me, and I also do some background research about the authors and their teachings. That way I’m sure that I’m investing my time in reading resources that will actually nurture me spiritually.

Some authors that I can recommend are R. C Sproul, Timothy Keller, John McArthur, John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, J. C. Ryle, John Owen, and there are many others. At the end of this article find a link to a review made by pastor Tim Challies about some books that he recommends every Christian to read. 

Now, knowledge has no purpose unless it is practiced, so reading, praying, and meditating on God’s Word will lead us to…

Serve our families, be active members of a local church and serve God with our gifts

All of that time you spend reading Scriptures, and in prayer, will certainly have as a result that we will serve our families according to our responsabilities as mothers, brothers, daughters, etc, and it will lead us to be part of a community of believers where you can listen to sound teaching of Scriptures, submit to the leaders of the church as the God-given spiritual authorities, serve the church with your gifts, serve others and grow alongside with them by serving our Lord. 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

Ephesians 2:19-21, English Standard Version

Therefore, if you are attending a church, it is important to seek to serve the Lord by attending the needs of the Body of Christ according to the gifts God has given you. And if you are still not a member of a church, it is time to look for one where you can listen to sound teaching of the Word of God through God’s ministers, and also where you can identify which are the gifts God has given you in order to use them for His Glory by serving your own family and the local church(1 Peter 4:10).

Finding a church, attending regularly, being not only listeners of the Word of God but also doers will lead you to…

Seek to be discipled by mature Christians and disciple other Christians yourself

This comes as a part of loving your neighbor as yourself and genuinely seeking to grow spiritually as a disciple of Jesus so you can also guide others in their spiritual growth.

The Bible says that seeking godly advice from spiritually mature brothers and sisters in Christ gives you assurance (Proverbs 24:6), and it also opens the door for you to share what you are learning with others that might be going through similar circumstances as you. 

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2, English Standard Version

Regarding discipleship and fellowship with the Body of Christ I highly recommend reading John Owen’s work on Rules for Walking in Fellowship, linked in the references at the end of this article.

We have a limited amount of time each day, and it is in our hands to use that time prioritizing what ought to be prioritized. It is in our hands to plan our days according to what is more important, and there is nothing that is more important than our relationship with God.

Before attempting to solve the Cube that represents our lives, and figure out how each dimension of our existence should work, we ought to first learn to nurture our relationship with our Holy Savior, we must grow insideout, first of all spiritually.

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In the coming articles, we will explore practical steps to grow and steward our time intentionally in the emotional dimension, intellectual dimension, and the physical dimension of our lives.

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References:

• Ligonier Ministries. Tabletalk Magazine.
• Tim Challies. 2018. 10 Books Every Christian Should Read.
• John Owen. Rules for Walking in Fellowship. Puritan Treasures for Today, 2014.