A Spiritual Assessment: What Do I Value Most?

What we deem as important, those things we prioritize, says a lot about how we are made up.  Our relational priorities determine how successful our relationships will be. Our financial priorities often determine just how profitable we’ll be in business, how fit we’ll be financially and overall is a commentary on our stewardship.

Spiritually speaking, our priorities also determine our ability to please God and bear fruits that yield glory that goes to Him.  All Christians should be concerned with putting God first.  This is the same thought Jesus portrayed in Matthew 6:33, a verse that most have committed to memory.

However, putting the Lord first is easier said than done.  Practically speaking, it may be more effective to examine how you carry out each aspect of your life and determine how your priorities are measured in each of those areas and then subsequently you can determine if you are indeed putting God first in your life.

Start with the most important, your relationship with God, specifically communication.  Since prayer is one of our most effective means of communicating with God, an honest assessment of our prayer life can tell us how big a priority we make our relationship with God.  So ask yourself, ‘How often do I pray?’  (1 Thess: 5:17) And when you pray, what are the things you pray about?  Are your prayers selfish, always finding yourself in need to ask God of things he’s already promised us?  Are they prayers of Thanksgiving? And finally, how often do you pray for others?

Then, go to the area of your life that deals with your finances.  How do you spend your money and what determines how your money is spent?  Is this based on need?  Do you tithe and offer to God as you are commanded to do (Mal 3: 8-10)?  What are you prioritizing in your budget?  Is it savings? Or do necessities like food, water and shelter provide the bulk of your budgetary spending?  How much do you spend with God or his kingdom (the church) in mind?  Do you ask the Lord for permission to purchase things you want but don’t need?

Consider also taking a look at your relational priorities.  Are you married? If so, do you put your spouse’s needs before your own, with a servant heart?  (1 Corinthians 7:4)  With your friends, do you put their needs before your own, or do you tend to require more of them than you provide in friendship.  With members of your local church, are you loving, forgiving and understanding?  Do you yield to your brothers or sisters in Christ? (Romans 12: 3-13) Or are you more concerned with getting your way?

In short, these are good barometers of where your priorities lie.

The gospel writer, Luke, discussed in scripture a situation during which Jesus openly questioned the priorities of one of his disciples.  Having been invited to come into Martha’s home (Luke 10:38-42), he sat down and her sister Mary sat at His feet. Martha begged that Jesus would command Mary to help her with the hospitality…

“But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

That good part he spoke of is a developing relationship with God by his word.  He must be our biggest priority.  Seeing this we should remind ourselves and each other of this daily as we walk with the Lord.