Anyone who wants to attain a stronger Christian experience would likely appreciate guidelines. Here are some thoughts that might help all of us to grow spiritually.
Remember the type of personality Jesus had as he performed his ministry. Copy those admirable traits about him. As you study the Scriptures, see how he related to other people. Allow his example to be incorporated into your attitude and lifestyle.
Before the crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples that it was his intention to build the church. He had a plan. He had a direction. He had a goal. Now he has passed that along to us to reach the world. Our opportunity is to build on what Jesus started.
Several times in the New Testament God explained that we all are parts of the body of the church. We each have a function. We each have a calling. It is up to us to accept the ministry from God he has placed on our lives. Nurture the opportunities God has given us. Practice the talents God has given you.
To perform the ministries Jesus placed on each of us that are unique and special, we must deal with the fact that we all are vulnerable. Once we have accepted Christ, that does not mean that we will never sin again. Certainly, we should try our best to perfect the way we serve him. In doing so, a main goal would be to live as the kind of person that others would want to copy.
Since we are all so vulnerable and since all of us must deal with the sinful environment in which we live, there will be times in which we need comfort from others. There will also be times in which others need comfort from us. That comfort lacks a judgmental attitude. It demonstrates the power of kindness.
In every relationship whether it be a marriage or on the worksite or in the neighborhood we can set a goal for ourselves to accept others for what they are and not what we want them to be. It is very easy to relate to others through our mental picture of them. It is unfortunate that our mental picture can cause us to be alienated from those in our daily world simply because they do not transform to the way we think they should be.
Spiritual growth is an ongoing business. No one can do it for us. The challenge is to put ourselves in a position in which we intentionally seek to copy Christ. If we lay a burden on others instead of building them up, we are bringing them down into a regrettable personal world. When we help others carry their burden, we are making their world and our world a better place where to live.
Christian Writer 