It is that time of year again; time for a spiritual health assessment.

• Am I praying or just thinking about praying?  We are only praying when we talk to God—not when we are thinking, wishing, hoping or talking to others.  Matthew 7:7 says, God is ready to act if we would only pray.
• Am I lacking boldness?  Ephesians 3:20 tells us, God will do more than we could ever dare hope, ask, or think.  Ask and believe God to do great things.
• Sin can cause our prayers to go unanswered.  Reveal any hidden sin in my life Lord and I will repent and stop doing it. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” Isaiah 59:2.
• Am I living and praying God’s Will, not mine?  I want to be in agreement with Gods plan for my life. 1John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his Will, he hears us.”
• Am I too focused on my problems that seem so large until I start to doubt God can fix them.  Know that my problems exist but don’t dwell on them…keep my eyes on God! “Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You.” Jeremiah 32:17
• Am I fretting too much.  Philippians 4:6 tells me not to have anxiety or worry about anything!!!
• Am I grateful for what I have and where I am?  Philippians 4:11-12 says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
• Am I staying focused on what God gives me to do?  Avoiding distractions, doing what God has asked of me? “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3: 13-14
• Am I caring for those in need?  John 3:17-18 tells me to care for those in need…don’t turn my back on them.  James 1:27 says to care for the hurting, lonely, oppressed, those in need.
• Am I being obedient to the authority over me, my bosses, the law, my spouse? 1 Peter 2:13-15 says, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good, you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”
• Do I forgive others? “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” Mark 11:25. No matter what someone has done against me I must let it go.
• Am I too proud to admit mistakes or that I need help? Pride is disgusting to The Lord.  Proverbs 16:5. Satan likes to keep things hidden…he wants us to try to handle things on our own.  But God has designed us to need one another.  We can’t always carry the loads in our lives; we should come to each other for help…that pleases God!

So I checked myself out and wasn’t too pleased.  I am praying today that God will remove the hindrances in my life. My spiritual health maintenance plan will include, more praying, more reading God’s Word, more exercising what God’s Word says to do, and more enjoyment in my walk with Christ.