As I begin in my Theological Reflection Journal, I realize that I do have
specific areas of personal spiritual growth and awareness. Faith is an area of
personal spiritual growth for me and I am aware of how this area of
spirituality was built. I hope to experience in this area of faith a better
understanding of how to maintain a spiritual mind in the mist of the tribulation
although faith is there and understanding that “…thanks be to God, who giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”1 Therefore a very specific
question that I would hope to answer is since. “we have the mind of Christ”2
how do we exercise this to have control and be spiritually minded during
tribulation (while carrying the cross). The Apostles asked for an extra measure
of faith, and were pretty much denied and reproofed by reminding them that
they were already equipped with everything they need. “… the apostles said
unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain
of mustard seed, ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and
be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you.”3 Although Abraham is the
father of faith, Job is the model of maintaining focus as one goes through, I
want to reach the spiritual point where regardless of carnal or physical
experiences I incur that I worship and praise God and be spiritually minded
during the mist of the tribulation consciously as I experience practical living.
This could be a great topic to develop into a sermon series because Scripture
is clear that “… God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith,”4 and if
exercised it can be matured. This is why I am trying to learn to exercise the
continued state of the mind of Christ. f Paul Froese, the author of the book,
America’s Four Gods elucidates how I feel about reaching this goal when he
states that some people “describe God as an extrovert who is happy to
intervene in daily activities.”5 This spiritual growth for me would assist me in
the process of “…work(ing) out (my) own salvation with fear and trembling; for
it is God who worketh in (me) both to will and to work, for his good
pleasure.”6 These personal daily interventions happens all the time if we just
give credit where credit is due. It happened in the early church and it
continues to happen today. This renewed continuous and conscious mind of
Christ will assist me in gaining “an (more) intimate and active relationship with
God.”7 If I (with the strength of Christ Jesus) can get to this personal level
with God then I can also testify and help someone else to reach this same
goal.
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1. Unless otherwise noted, all Biblical citations come from New King
James Version. (1 Cor. 15:57).
2. (1 Cor 2:16).
3. (Luke 17:5-6).
4. (Rom 12:3).
5. Paul Froese (2016). (p. 21). America’s Four Gods. Oxford University
Press. Accessed May 20, 2021. Retrieved from
https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com
6. (Phil 2:12-13).
7. Paul Froese (2016). (p. 20).
