We tend to think certain goals are more spiritual than others. Breaking free from a porn habit, for example, is a spiritual goal. Breaking free from an eating-too-much habit is a non-spiritual goal.
Having a quiet time is a spiritual goal. Following a to-do list is a non-spiritual goal.
If we look at Christianity from a behavioral point of view (Christians do this; Christians don’t do that), then yes, certain goals are more spiritual than others.
But if we look at Christianity from a heart point of view, then all our presuppositions fall by the wayside. Eating and to-do lists suddenly become spiritual goals if they have anything to do with the heart.
Non-Sin Habits
The truth is that non-sin habits can become idols and sins if we’re using those habits to walk away from God or to make life about things other than God.
My project is an example: make a list each day and renew my mind whenever I don’t want to follow it. When I come to a hard job, I don’t even think about going to God for help. Instead, I just waste time.
What I’ve found, though, is that coping techniques tend to mess you up whether they’re sinful or not.
If I go to God for help with my to-do list, He’ll control me. If I go to my non-sin habit (wasting time) for help, that non-sin habit will control me.
It will also blind me to my heart sin.
When I go to God, He says, Look, Barb, you’re really being indulgent here. You’re thinking you shouldn’t have to do hard things unless you’re rewarded for them. Plus you don’t like being embarrassed, and I want you to step out and do some embarrassing things for me.
When I go to my coping techniques for help, I don’t hear God’s voice.
Missing Out on God
That’s a shame. Because not only do I miss out on even noticing my sin, I also miss out on His delightful love and His power to help me overcome my sin.
It’s hard to make myself renew my mind every time I don’t feel like doing my list. It’s hard to even remember that I’m supposed to be following my list.
But I’m going to keep pressing on because I want God to be in control of all of me—even the parts that don’t look sinful on the surface.
Question: Do you think some goals are more spiritual than others? How has working on transformation made a difference in your relationship with God?
Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. I think there are definitely more spiritual goals for us to have. I think having a disciplined Bible study is a more spiritual goal than wanting to read through the Hunger Games series in a month. I think there are certain goals that are amoral, where there’s no positive or negative moral component and God is OK with them either way.
But I certainly do think that we tend to not realize the spiritual components of how we manage our time, how we work, how we rest, how we play, how we have relationships, and so many other aspects of how we live.
Thanks, Loren – I wasn’t even thinking of amoral goals. But you’re right, if it’s a goal that doesn’t affect our walk with God either way, then it’s definitely a less spiritual goal than one that does affect our walk with God. Book reading would only affect my walk with God if I had a tendency to make reading itself an idol or if I were reading a book God didn’t want me to read. Thanks for the clarification!
I personally think all/mot goals have aspects of the spiritual. The example of eating habit, I considered spiritual because God calls us to be stewards of our body. So we must have a plan/goals to make sure we eat right and exercise (Be a steward of our body). Great thoughts.
I agree – most of our goals tend to have aspects of the spiritual. Or at least more goals than we think. Thanks for your input.
I agree with Loren in that there are definitely activities that are higher spiritual priorities. I also agree that there are activities that God gives us for enjoyment but that aren’t necessarily spiritual. However, we can turn them into something that hurts our spiritual walk if we become obsessed with them and make them idols. I also think this is somewhat relative; what may lead one person into sin may not another (I have to be careful what books I read, for example). Yes, that’s a touchy subject, but there is an argument for it. But in all, I don’t like to compartmentalize anything I do. In other words, I lean on Colossians 3:23 as my guide: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” When we have a relationship with God and are being led by His Holy Spirit, we will know the condition of our hearts and if we are doing it for His glory or ours. We will know if it is drawing us to or away from Him. Oh, this is a big topic! In a nutshell: It’s all about the condition and intention of the heart.
I think you summarized it well, Kari – thank you! I was thinking of spiritual goals as being all on the same level, but when I stop to think about it, I recognize that some things affect my walk with God more than others. Sometimes, He makes it obvious what I need to work on because He gives me so many opportunities to work on it. :( But other times, He lets me choose, and I usually just choose the area that’s messing up my life (and my walk with God) the most.
When He lets me choose, I find that He also gives me pretty clear indication of the areas on which I need to focus. Not only that, but He places help in my path for working on them. Guess that’s why the Holy Spirit is known as “the helper.” Also, I think we need to stay away from black and white what is spiritual and what is not. I figure, who am I to decide that? Again, we need the Holy Spirit to help us.