Spiritual Check Up / Examination & Personal Devotional For Advent

Spiritual checkup | img src @ faithistheevidence

Personal Devotional

Spiritual Checkup In Advent

Putting ourselves always aright with God is very important and expected, but sometimes due to our daily activities and worldly pursuit, we fall short of that expectations. However, now is a good time to re-examine ourselves and consciences, have a Spiritual Check-Up.

When you go through this, remember it is designed to expose grey areas in your soul. This SPIRITUAL CHECK-UP IS ABSOLUTELY FREE unlike your medical check-up. Within the next hour or so, let the Holy Spirit turn His searchlight on your SPIRITUAL LIFE.

Please, use the following lists as guide to examine your life before the Lord. Take each one slowly and carefully.

CHEATING – Did you get anything from anyone unfairly? Does someone know or suspect that you cheated to pass an important test or exam? Did you rob someone of their fair share of praise or pay for a job? (Mal. 3:5; Deut. 24:14-15; Jer. 22:13; Job 31:13)

HINDRANCE – Have you destroyed another’s confidence in you by needlessly taking up their time? Have you prevented them from doing God’s work for yourself? (Eph. 5:16)

HYPOCRISY – Did the life you lived before some people make all you said of Christ and His gospel a lie? Have you said one thing and done another? Were others turned from God by your life that declared to them your hypocrisy? (Matt. 6:5-6; 7:3-5; 23:28; Rev. 3:15-16)

STEALING – Can you remember taking money for property that was not yours? Did you steal from neighbors, relatives, shops or stores, school or home? (Ex. 20:15; Eph. 4:28)

DIAGNOSIS

If the Holy Spirit shows us our sin, we must go back to the cross where the Lord first met us. Our sin nails Jesus to the cross all over again. We tear open His wounds and make His redemption a mockery.

Walk out into the light of reality. Drop your self-deceit and face this sin for what it really is. Turn from it, from your heart. Take sides with God against it- resolve in your heart NEVER to go back into that sin again.

MEDICATION OR ACTION NEEDED?

Will you go to your gracious and loving Father as a little child and humbly ask His forgiveness? Note that, “If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL and just to forgive, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(I Jn. 1:9) The LORD is merciful and gracious…He has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; for as the heaven is above the earth, so great is His mercy towards them that fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps. 103:12)

Let Us Pray,

“Oh God, You know my foolishness, and my sin is not concealed from You…please pardon my iniquity, for it is great…If you, Lord, would mark iniquities, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” (Ps. 69:5; 25:11; 130:3-4)

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day, We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. Amen.

Src: Catholic Missal for Nigeria.