How do you know if you are doing well?
I have a friend who asked a group of spiritual leaders that question a while back. It was a great question that fostered some good dialogue. The biblical word for this is "shalom." it's a word that means "wholeness," "wellness," "peace."
Stop right now. Don't read any further until you've answered that question for yourself. Maybe flipping the question would help you get started thinking through the issue. How do you know if you're NOT doing well?
Here are some responses from a few spiritual leaders.
* * *
I know I am doing well when...
... my wife is happy and I laugh often with her.
... I have energy for living.
... I feel like I'm being used by God.
... I'm spending regular, unhurried time waiting on God.
... my faith and hope are strong and I'm optimistic regardless of the circumstances.
... I'm enjoying the journey.
... I'm resting in the sovereignty of God.
... I have a knowledge that I am abiding in Christ and filled with the Spirit.
I know I'm NOT doing well when...
... I'm chewing on past and present hurts.
... I have to fight to get out of myself so I can focus on others.
... I'm on retreat and want to avoid others.
... I start to feel and act like my dad who conveyed a sense of failure.
... I operate out of fear.
... I take my aggression out on the baskeball floor.
... I live like a dark cloud hovers overhead.
... I'm seeking to control people and circumstances.
Do you think wellness is a good thing to pursue? Personally, I think it's a by-product of pursuing God.
What would your list look like?
Your thoughts?
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