It has often been said that he has the most need of righteousness who least wants it. In other words, if you think to yourself, I am really doing well. I don't really know that I need more righteousness, then you are probably in greater need than you realize. I have found over the years that some of the most religious people are also some of the most judgmental people. The apostle Paul, after years of following and serving God said, “I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12).
So on a practical level one might say that a real mark of a spiritual person is they are always hungry and thirsty for more and more of Christ. But just like real life there are certain things that spoil our appetite. All too often we tend to major on minors and minor on majors when it comes to living and doing the will of God. This has the negative effect of slowing down our spiritual growth and our spiritual appetites.
I would like to humbly suggest that from time to time we need to honestly ask ourselves a very important question: Is this thing I am engaged in – this relationship, this goal, this activity – making me more or less like Jesus, more or less hungry for spiritual things? Does it draw me closer to God, or does it in some way keep me away from Him? Does it speed up my walk with God (discipleship process), or does it slow me down? The book of Hebrews 12:1 tells us, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
I wish I could say that the journey was easy and problem free! None-the-less we are called to press on in our goal to become more Christ-like. This has the effect of transforming our lives and the lives of those around us in a very positive way.
Something to think about: If you are really hungry and thirsty for righteousness, you will find it. Because if you really want something, then you will put yourself in that place where you will get it.
God bless
Berny