Your Spiritual Checkup

By Cheri Cowell –

I often went with my mother-in-law to her doctor appointments. Every doctor’s office staff does the same things: checks blood pressure, weight, prescriptions list, and inquires of the reason for the visit.

For those who are older, such as my mother-in-law, a few other things are added to the list of checkup questions: “How are you sleeping? Are you depressed? Are your feet swelling? Do you have any questions?”

It made me think, “I wish God had a list of questions for my spiritual check-up.”

The Corinthian church was acting like a wayward child, and in his second letter Paul was writing to let them know they had better straighten out before he got there or else… In chapter 13 verse 5 he tells them how to begin the process. He instructs them to look inward. To test themselves to see if what is inside is that which is showing outside. To take this test and if they find themselves lacking, do something about it! Verse 7 not only tells the Corinthians what do, Paul demonstrates it. He prays for them.

Verses 7-10 are referred to as Paul’s prayer. He prays that if anything is lacking in them that it not be counted against them but against him. Paul took his concerns to God, the Great Physician, who can do more to heal our infirmities than any prescription ever could.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down” (2 Corinthians 13:5-10 NIV).