As January comes to an end and the second month of the year begins, many of us will be examining the goals and resolutions we made just a few weeks ago. We’ll examine our progress (or lack of it) concerning a new diet, exercise plan, or some other goal. If we’re in school, we take examinations to test our proficiency in those subjects. And when it comes to our health, we get numerous examinations and tests to ensure we stay as healthy as we can. But how many of us take the time to examine the most important thing, our spiritual health? 

Welcome to Soul Survival where I blog through the Bible in a Year along with Bible studies and other Christian living posts. This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each Bible in a Year post. And … this year I’m also reading through the Bible on YouTube. You can check out my channel here. The daily emails now have a link to both the Soul Survival posts and the YouTube videos. I hope you’ll sign up.

Today’s Readings:

Exodus 13 & 14
Psalm 18.13-19
Proverbs 6.6-11
Matthew 21.1-22

How to Examine Your Spiritual Health

Exodus 13 & 14:

The Value of Memorials

As the Lord delivered the Israelites from their 430 years of slavery in Egypt, he gave them several things that were to act as memorials for them. First, was the Passover, an annual feast where they would remember and thank God for their deliverance from bondage.

He, also, told them the firstborn of all their children and animals belonged to Him. They were to sacrifice the “clean” animals (more about that later) and were to redeem or offer another sacrifice in place of those animals not appropriate for sacrificing (Ex.13:13). Finally, they were to offer sacrifices for their firstborn sons.

This was a reminder of how the Lord had spared their sons and animals when He brought the final plague on Egypt. As we continue with our Old Testament narrative, we will see God repeatedly instruct them to set up memorials to key events in their spiritual lives.

New Testament Memorials

We, too, need memorials. It’s so easy to forget what God has done for us and, instead, get focused on what we think He hasn’t done: the prayers He hasn’t answered our way or how He hasn’t blessed us like He has blessed someone else. Instead, we need to remind ourselves about the things from which He has already delivered us and the things He has done for us.

Even, if He never did another thing, we should remember the price He paid so our sins could be forgiven. That is the central focus of the Lord’s Supper, the New Testament counterpart to the Passover. It is a memorial to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (emphasis added).

But there is another important aspect of the Lord’s Supper.

Search Me, O God

Another focus of the Lord’s Supper is to remind us to examine ourselves. As the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt and each time they took the Passover, they ate unleavened bread or bread without yeast.  In the Old Testament leaven or yeast represented sin. It was a reminder to examine themselves to see if there was sin in their lives. We, too, are to examine our spiritual health by asking God to show us any unrepentant sin before we take the Lord’s Supper.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged (1 Cor. 11).

But that isn’t the only time we should examine our spiritual health. In Psalm 139, David prayed:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps. 139.23-24).

What a great prayer to offer to God daily.

The Most Important Factor in Spiritual Health

Before discussing a tool to help us examine our spiritual lives, I want to say that we can never have good spiritual health without a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. I’m not talking about religion or church attendance or even doing good things. I’m talking about knowing that our sins have been forgiven and that we will one day spend eternity with Him. If you have any doubts, I hope you will click on this link, read the post, and watch the video. And if you have questions, please add them to the comments at the bottom. Don’t be embarrassed. Your relationship with God is too important. And, someone else probably has the same question.

A Tool to Help Examine Our Spiritual Health

Journaling can be a very helpful tool for biblical self-examination. Many of the giants of the faith kept journals.

The kind of journaling I’m referring to is a form of prayer and contemplation. It often includes writing and meditating on portions of Scripture and asking ourselves and God certain questions.

But whether you use a journal to write out your prayers, pray out loud, or a combination of the two, there are great benefits in this kind of exercise.

Questions to Include

You might first turn Psalm 139.23-24 into a prayer:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Then ask yourself:

• As I look back on the day, what were the most significant events?
• Did I have any particularly significant conversations?
• Did I do any reading or hear any teaching?  What do I need to do with what I learned?
• How did I feel during the day?  What were the emotional high points or low points?  Why did I feel as I did?  Based on God’s Word, is He trying to tell me anything through these feelings? (Fixing our feelings should not be the goal. But feelings can be indicators of things going on in our hearts.)
• Did I find myself worrying about anything today?  Can I turn that worry into a prayer?
• Am I likely to face any challenges today? How should I pray about them?
• What did I accomplish today? How does it bring glory to God?
• Did I fail at anything?  What can I learn from this?
• How did I do at loving God and others? (you might review 1 Corinthians 13.4-8a and if this is a particular struggle for you right now, you will find some deeper self-examination questions here)
• Have I grown in my understanding of God and His Word in the past 24 hours?
• Are there any verses/passages I’m meditating on or memorizing?

If you journal digitally, you should be able to copy and paste this list right into your journal. Or you can click this link for a printable list.

Not More Than We Can Handle, If …

One more verse I’d like to point out is Exodus 13:17. It says:

… God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’

He didn’t put them in a situation that He knew would have been more than they could handle. He, also, protected them with a “pillar of cloud” and a “pillar of fire.” Then He miraculously delivered them from the armies of Egypt.

This is so much like what God often does in the lives of new believers. He moves in miraculous and undeniable ways to help solidify their faith in Him. The goodness of God is undeniable!

But new believers aren’t the only ones who can count on God to put restraints on the tests, trials, and temptations in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10.13 promises:

13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

If we keep our eyes on Him, rely on His strength, and obey His instructions for responding, He promises not to allow tests and trials to be greater than we can bear.

Now some thoughts about today’s other readings.

Today’s Other Readings:

Psalm 18.13-19:

He delights in us!

He delivered me because He delighted in me (v. 19b).

Imagine, the Creator of heaven and earth chooses to love and even delights in us!

Proverbs 6.6-11:

Laziness = Poverty

In these verses, Solomon reminds us that laziness is one sure way to poverty.

Matthew 21.1-22:

Even the Donkey Knows …

On the Sunday before His crucifixion, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. As He did, the people cast their garments and palm leaves on the road in front of Him. They cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” This was the Sunday we now memorialize as Palm Sunday.

My husband has a sign that refers to this passage. It says, “Even the donkey knows …” Even the donkey knows the praise wasn’t for him but for Jesus. We would do well to remember that when people praise us. We’re just the vessels.

Closing Thoughts:

Thank God today for His goodness. Remember His wonderful deeds. And why not ask Him to help you examine your spiritual health? Then act on what He shows you!

Coming Up:

In the coming days, we’ll talk about idols of the heart, how whining affects our lives, and dealing with difficult people and strong-willed children.

I hope you’ll join me and, if you haven’t already, sign up for the daily posts, the weekly newsletter, or other Christian living posts. 

Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥

Note about this post:

I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer. 

A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”

I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)

I sometimes LINKUP with these blogs.