Golfing and Spiritual Growth
I inspect commercial real estate for banks, and in doing so, I spend a considerable amount of time traveling about the country seeing different places and meeting different people. Traveling gives me plenty of “alone time” to mediate on Scripture and think about my life and my relationship with Christ…things intimately tied to and foundational to my “spiritual growth.”
We know that God commonly works through people in our lives. In my case, it’s been through people…twists of fate…happenstance…serendipity…and just plain dumb coincidence that has boosted my spiritual growth the most. Sometimes God decides when it’s time for you to grow spiritually…. like He did with me here.
Years ago, I had to inspect a property in New Orleans. I spent some time wandering the French Quarter shops and enjoying what-not displayed for wayfaring tourists and sight-seers. Seeing all sort of books, mementos, souvenirs, clothing relating to the indigenous “voodoo” culture actually made me contemplate even more the saving grace of Jesus Christ and my walk with Him. Sometimes when you’re alone with your thoughts, new perspectives on life and your place in it rise to the surface…sometimes even in truly unusual ways.
After my two-day trip to New Orleans, I sank back into my airplane seat for the two-hour flight home to Baltimore. A woman sat down next to me and I noticed she was reading a book entitled, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About God.” Here was my chance! I thought this is an unusual opportunity for me to flex my theological muscle to the woman passenger next to me. I initiated our conversation subtly about the ‘voodoo’ culture of New Orleans. Over the next two-hour period, we verbally plumbed deeply into nearly all aspects of Scripture and Christian theology as it relates to grace, personal repentance, soteriology (salvation), eschatology (final destiny of the soul), and every other subject that would make an evangelical giddy with abject jubilation. I was in…well…heaven.
My traveling companion and I exchanged Christian ideas, feelings and thoughts over one of the most spiritually-enriching conversations I’ve ever had. At the end of our flight and after we’d pulled up the gate, my traveling companion stood up with her book.
Utter shock now rose up in me!
I now noted that her book was actually entitled “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Golf.” To summarize with some embarrassment, I spent two hours contemplating and exploring Christ in great depth with a stranger simply intent on improving their golf swing. God clearly is in control. I sat quietly alone for a few minutes in my plane seat wondering what had just occurred. Wow…
Spiritual growth surpasses an emotional experience or praying a prayer. It is about being rooted and grounded in the life-transforming truths of Scripture…not just on an intellectual level, but on an emotional level. It is about embracing Jesus in your life.
Spiritual growth includes three aspects: experiences, disciplines and relationships. Experiencing God will lead you to growth within your covenant relationship with Him. Other than people, God often uses hardships, disappointments and trials to draw us closer to Him (See Romans 5:3-5). Sometimes He does during our day-to-day interactions with other people.
Spiritual growth within our covenant relationship with Christ is not based on rules, works or appearances. A relationship with Christ is about insisting on knowing Him, just as you do with people…making and spending time with one another. Through your meditations on Christ and embracing His Word, your spiritual transformation will occur while wholeheartedly seeking Him. Your face will be unveiled to the Glory of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Spiritual growth within our covenant relationship with Christ is also not an imposed self-improvement checklist or a things-I’ve-got-to-change list. Once your relationship with Christ begins to form through time in His Word and prayer, you will begin to think differently about your ‘old ways’ and the ‘sins in our life.’ You will begin to spiritually mature and grow with a renewed mind and spirit…and with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5). Change comes through Christ and through change in Christ you can have a relationship with Him that surpasses all others.
Who knows…it may even improve your score on the back nine…
JG