Regular Checkup

Last week I went to my doctor for a regular checkup. Have you had one lately?

Common sense tells us we should go to the doctor for an annual physical. It’s a good idea.

Whenever someone has a concern about a loved one’s health or behavior, I’ll ask, “When was the last time they had a physical?” A regular examination by a doctor can identify problems before they become serious health issues. It may be uncomfortable but it’s worth the effort.

Some people are so afraid of doctors they resist seeing one. They say, “I can always go to a doctor if I need one.” But somehow they never go until things are serious.

By then they may hear the doctor say, “If you had come sooner, we could have helped you.”

Lesson? Don’t wait to see a doctor until you have a serious problem. Get a regular checkup.

The same principle holds true for your spiritual health.

“Now hold on just a minute. What does seeing a doctor have to do with spiritual health?”

Good question. And the answer is this: Just as you need a regular physical, it’s a good idea to have a regular spiritual.

What’s a “spiritual”? It’s what I call a checkup on your relationship with God. I recommend it because the Bible recommends it.

God’s Word says to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” It adds, “A man ought to examine himself.”

When I speak with some people I’ll say, “Doctors give us physicals but God wants us to take a ‘spiritual.’ May I ask you a few questions?”

Here are some of the questions I may use: “Where are you in your walk with God? Would you say you are close to him or do you feel like he is far away? How often do you pray? Do you think God hears you? When you die, what do you think you’ll find on the other side?”

Depending on the answers I receive, I ask follow-up questions: “How can a person know where they will spend eternity? Have you personally put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? What difference has your relationship with God made in your life?”

Why is that important? Because a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ determines our contentment with life, level of stress and our ultimate eternal home. It also gives us a sense of purpose and joy as we discover that God loves us as his child with an everlasting love.

Many admit they feel far away from God. The Bible’s advice? “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” For Christ’s followers it recommends “Don’t give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”

If you’re not sure where to begin, take a lesson from the medical world: To get a good physical, it helps to choose a good doctor. Someone who knows where to begin and what to do.

For help with spiritual things, find someone you can trust. Look at their life, listen to their words and see if they match. Ask about their source of spiritual power and peace. Is the Bible their rule of faith and practice? Do they submit to God and his Word? Do others respect them?

Then find a good church and join it. A life-giving church is a place where you feel welcome, the Bible is central, and you feel like God speaks to you through his Word.

The whole experience ought to encourage you and charge your spiritual “batteries.”

Church is like a spiritual gymnasium. It keeps us spiritually fit, morally alert and in good condition to experience life to the full. Plus it’s a good place for a regular spiritual checkup.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!