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. d 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).
