Defining spirituality extends far beyond this study. Many studies have been done in the
past on the subject and many studies will be done in the future on the subject. This topic can be
an exceedingly challenging obstacle for counselors when working with clients to help them on
their path to in finding both the amalgamation of their spirituality and religious freedom which
are both factors in achieving a healthy mental well-being. The notion has been raised of
integrating spirituality and training processes for counselors to improve their rates of success for
a variety of clients (Brown et al.). As for all Christians, the condition of your spiritual well-being
will determine the quality of every aspect of your life. For me personally I define spiritual well-
being as an inherent human desire for purpose and meaning in life and for one to have a
connection with something bigger than ourselves. Having a healthy spirit is a vital necessity in
having a fruitful life in the Kingdom of God. Even a born-again Christian can fall short of the
purpose God has set in play for them if they fail to grow and retain a healthy spirit. After all we
must worship God in spirit “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and
truth” John 4:24 (Barker, NIV Bible). Because God does things in his own time and his ways
are not our ways all humans should have some degree of self-reliance. Sometimes you're hungry
sometimes you're thirsty and sometimes you must wait for God, so you must be self-reliant for
your own survival in the interim. But ultimately God wants us to be God reliant. We can all
practice spiritual self-reliance which will aid us in our spiritual growth and help us realize that all
sustaining forces originate from the Most High. In the Bible we are shown examples where self-
reliance has led many into sin. One example would be Adam and Eve they wanted to be self-
reliant they wanted to be disobedient to God and by practicing their self-reliance they introduced
sin into the world for all of us. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are told to “Trust in the Lord with all our
heart and do not depend on your own understanding seek his will in all you do, and he will show
you which path you shall take Proverbs 3:5 (Barker, NIV Bible). In Romans 12:1, we are told to
“Present our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is our spiritual
worship (Barker, NIV Bible).
Barker, Kenneth. . Grand Rapids, Mi, Zondervan Pub. House, 2011.NIV Bible
Brown, David R., et al. “Assessing Spirituality: The Relationship between
Spirituality and Mental Health.” Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health,
vol. 15, no. 2, Apr. 2013, pp. 107–122,
https://doi.org/10.1080/19349637.2013.776442.
