Who is really spiritual? Is she the prayerful religious who gives offering to church projects because she wants to enter heaven? Is he the positive thinker who promotes hope everywhere even though many are suffering in his community? Or, is she the diligent and fulfilled single parent who works hard 24/7 so that her children could eat?
There's much confusion about the term "spiritual" or "spirituality" nowadays. Some theorists argue that spirituality could only be understood through Eastern 'secret teachings,' some even promote spiritual realization by being united with the soothing beauty of nature, but others add that spirituality is a personal discovery of the true self within.
One of the patriarch Job's three friends, Elihu, believes that "there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding" (Job 32:8 KJV). So this "spirit in man" concept is actually an ancient Buzite proposition. Since the "spirit" refers to the ruwach, or more precisely, "breath" [which God puts in man], Elihu's premise would definitely be about afflation or divine inspiration — especially the life and understanding [wisdom] which God creates and produce in man.
Based on Elihu's knowledge, man receives this "spirit" [breath] from God and the breathing of God gives him wisdom and life (Job 33:4). In other words, Elihu's "spirit in man" idea centers on God's creation of man's being. He defined this spirituality as God's "inbreathing" of wisdom or rightness [judgment] into a person who, even if he is old or aged, is not always wise or right (Job 32:9). In this regard, the quality of being spiritual is not from man. Paul the apostle asserted even more that "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13 ESV2011).
Let us now consider spirituality that's rooted in inspiration. Christians are usually unaware of and threatened by the word "inspiration." Too often, Christians avoid or move away from so-called divine influences upon the human mind, making them again uninformed of God's role in their daily decisions and aspirations. The most common reason why Christians do this is because they assume too much responsibility for both spiritual matters and for their spiritual manifestations. Incidentally, some Christians often say, "I'm spiritual but not religious" yet they speak of spirituality as a discovery of "inner life" or "inner peace" without the influence of God. Ironically, when Christians emphasize the inner self or self-awareness more than God's role, they become emptier and devoid of everything and anything that is divinely good.
So, to fully understand spirituality, the person should willingly receive God and His fullness (Jn 1:12, 16; 7:39; 1Cor 2:12). This is the utmost meaning of spirituality, i.e. to become inspirited, to become infused with God's life and light [truth] (Jn 1:4, 12:46).
When inspiration occurs, the person receives abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17). Furthermore, when he/she is constantly responsive to God's presence and role in his/her emotions, thoughts, and will, he/she would certainly produce love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal 5:22-23).
Thus, spirituality is not just about positive emotionality [feeling good, happy, or peaceful]; it is about God making him/her alive so that he/she might bring praise to His glory (Eph 1:12).
© Tim Liwanag