Recently (or not so recently), I was in the 3rd ever team leaders' meeting.. and i learnt something quite interesting:D it's the definition of what it means to be spiritual.
there's a need for the definition due to human beings having the tendency to go to extremes: the extreme of mystifying spirtuality (e.g. being spiritual means DEFINITELY must be slain in the spirit, or being spiritual means bringing in Satan in EVERYTHING the person faces.) and dividing betwene 'spiritual' and 'admin' things.. (e.g. worship leading is more spiritual... but leading games is not.. that kinda thing).
And there are also people who are 'spiritual' in the way they speak, but super don't follow bible in the way they lead their life:)
so yup. there's a need for the definition:
"Spiritual"
1) Becoming more like Christ
2) Being Spirit filled and spirit led
3) Being reserved for God's use
4) Seeing things from God's perspective
5) Living according to God's precepts in Scripture
yup=] thought it'll give us a proper perspective towards this word:) Learnt some very interesting stuff from the book 'Where is God when it hurts' as well=) will share in the future (e.g. when i have more time. haha).
Wanna share some stuff here too..
Realised from the generation acts volunteerism exhibition that one of the goals of the ALIVE! programme is to literally tell the kids they're helping that they're not the worst people. That they can help others as well:) I read it recently in 'where is God when it hurts' as well. Some people, when facing a major crisis in their life, or when going through unchangeable things in their life (e.g. having cancer), blame their situation on everybody and falls into the category of helplessness and bitterness and anger. Others look at their situation and think of ways that they can still help others. There are some who ask 'Why am i going through this? Why is it not someone else? Why am i going through agony and others having blessings?'. There are still some others who go past the 'why' stage and go to the stage of 'how'... How can i still glorify God in these circumstances? How can i make the most out of this? How can i be a vessel for God? And these people tend to have their pain eased as they focus outwards, instead of inwards:) For they've realised more of what the verse 'When i am weak, then i am strong' means.
All in all, the way we respond come in a matter of perspective. What perspective we take, or choose to take, whose perspective we choose to obtain:) Let's stop being so inward looking (thinking that no one else understands, no one else has gone through the same as me, no one cares about me) to being more outward looking (how can i be the one to understand others? how can i care about other people more?)... Be like Jesus, whose thoughts and life were always for His people.