Christ tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 to “Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction: and many there are who enter that way; because narrow is the gate, and constricted is the way which leads unto life: and few there be that find it.” We are not presented with many choices for arriving at eternal life with God. As important as this is, many churches do not provide clear direction in this regard. There are many non-Biblical spiritual practices that have entered into Christianity. A Christian veneer does not change them. Each one produces its own worldview and disunity within church organizations themselves. There are those who claim that the different practices have all been inspired by the Holy Spirit; but God is not the author of confusion.
Inner peace is what people are ultimately looking for. The strongest spirituality that I found for this is in the Bible, which brings us God’s peace that passes all understanding. It tells us to be anxious for nothing by casting all of our care on God (see Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:5-7). I interpreted and implemented these verses literally. This is called unconditional trust in God, which brings us Christ’s rest. I found the instruction for it in the Bible when I was curious as to whether Christianity had any teaching for arriving at inner peace. It had lots of it; but I had not heard any of it in my Catholic upbringing. I tried it and it worked immediately. Many Christian organizations say that this happens over a lifetime; but God gives grace according to kairos time, which is His timing, when He sees fit. He does not restrict Himself to our timing.
Biblical spirituality brings us a sustained inner peace that doesn’t come and go with changes in our outward circumstances. God’s presence within us is what brings us His peace. When we seek God’s peace, we are also simultaneously seeking His presence, because His presence is what carries His peace. We can only have it when His presence is within us. The same instructions in Scripture bring us both. When I was seeking God’s peace, and surrendered myself to Him, I received much more than what I had hoped for. Unexpectedly, I also received His strength.
This is the only spirituality that can lift us out of our human weakness, which is the law of sin. All others fall short of this, whether they are called meditation, contemplation, centering prayer, mindfulness, or walks in nature to be with god. Biblical spirituality is generally ignored in most Churches; or they stifle it with other spiritualities and legalism, and instead, present them as vehicles of grace. Churches may offer many spiritual practices that differ with each other; and those who are interested in them, will practice one or the other, depending on their preference. None of them that I have seen, compare with the unique spirituality that is taught in the Bible. Those who promote other spiritualities generally say that spiritual progress is gradual or difficult, but this is not the case with Biblical spirituality that works within God’s kairos time, and which can be immediate. The Eastern spirituality, that introduced me to my first spiritual practice a few years prior, was no match for what I eventually found in the Bible.
Biblical spirituality opens us up to God’s presence; and when we yield to His presence within us, we are able to live, be led, and walk in Spirit; and enabled to avoid the sins of the flesh. This lifts us out of the law of sin and its slavery (see Romans 6:11-13 and Galatians 5:16-25). Other spiritualities leave our sin nature intact. The Spirit of God also provides us with a spiritual discernment that is not otherwise available; and energizes us to will and to do of His pleasure. Christianity needs the power of the Holy Spirit to produce life for the people; and unity in the Body of Christ that comes from the bond of peace.
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