“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial.” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT)

 

As Christians, we need to avoid anything in life that will hinder our spiritual growth. To help you mature spiritually, here’s a litmus test that will assist you in identifying what might weigh you down in your spiritual walk.

The first question to ask yourself is: Does this thing benefit me spiritually? The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT). Certain things are permissible for us to indulge in—that is, they’re not necessarily sinful. But that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily harmless. They can still weigh us down in our walk with Christ by pulling us away from God and His people or by dulling our hunger for God’s Word.

Any pastime or hobby—from fishing to hiking to playing in fantasy sports leagues—could fit this description. There’s nothing wrong with them—in moderation. We’re certainly allowed to do them. But if they start to overrun the boundaries of a pastime or hobby, if they begin to occupy an unhealthy amount of our time and attention, we need to adjust our priorities.

And that brings us to the second question: Does this thing bring me under its power? Earlier in his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT).

There are a lot of things that can gain power over us: family, friends, significant others, work responsibilities, goals, and aspirations, just to name a few. None of those things are bad in and of themselves. It’s when they start to dominate our priorities and overshadow other areas of our lives that they become dangerous. That’s when we need to take steps to wrest control back from them. As believers, we want to be under the power of Christ and Christ alone.

The final question of our litmus test pertains to the gray areas in life—things that aren’t condemned in Scripture, but also aren’t endorsed. When we face these gray areas, we must ask, Do I have an uneasy conscience about what I am doing? To put it scripturally, when these situations arise, remember the words of Paul: “If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning” (Romans 14:23 NLT).

The Holy Spirit is your ally in this area. He communicates to you through your conscience. He gives you discernment and wisdom regarding your “life inventory.” He helps you recognize the things that will help you grow in your Christian faith, as well as the things that will hinder you.

Wise Christians constantly take inventory of their lives and avoid whatever aspects of life can hurt their spiritual walk. Be wise and take inventory of your walk with God.

Reflection Question: What’s an example of something that might be permissible for you, but not necessarily beneficial to your spiritual growth? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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