Developing the following habits will favor
personal growth toward spiritual maturity.
Cultivate sensitivity to divine values.
Think deeply and often on the higher values that result in goodness. Become an advocate of those values in yourself and others. Always look for the higher values that are being served by any action you are considering.
Recognize and appreciate religious living in others.
Admire and complement the achievement of others in incorporating their values into their lives. Religious living is sincere loyalty in word and deed to one’s own higher values.
Meditate reflectively on cosmic meanings.
Reflective meditation is relaxed, deep thinking and values sensing. Meanings are frequently discovered by exploring the why of things. Cosmic meanings are the really big meanings like the answers to questions such as: ”Why would Deity allow something to be the way this world seems to be?” “Why is this life so important?” “What is my eternal destiny?” There are answers to these questions. Spirit will help you to find them.
Solve problems with spiritual help.
Talk back and forth with Spirit regarding your problems while you actively imagine what the Source of all higher values would say in response. This thinking technique is very effective and fosters relationship and friendship with your Inner Spirit. The Spirit will not tell you what to do but will draw your attention to what you consider to be important and suggest the application of appropriate values you personally hold. The selection of solutions is always yours to make. Your choice is always respected. Spirit will neither dictate decisions nor prevent you from making wrong choices.
Share your spiritual life with others.
Talk about your experiences of Spirit’s actions and presence in your inner life and encourage others to talk about their experiences. Respect what is shared. Sharing will strengthen the reality of your experience and make both you and the other person spiritually richer.
Avoid selfishness.
No one admires or is drawn to someone who is expressing selfishness. Selfishness is a serious handicap to spiritual growth since all spiritual growth is toward unselfish bestowal of oneself to benefit others.
Refuse to presume on divine mercy.
Do not intentionally think or act contrary to your highest values on the presumption that the Divine Spirit will forgive you. While it is true, forgiveness is available, presumption is an arrogant characteristic which must be overcome in order to become a reliable partner in in the adventure of discovery that Spirit is wanting to share with us.
Be kind. Be loving. Respect and love Deity.
Love and benefit all other beings. Treat others as you want to be treated. Remember: You and all other people are children of the Creator of everything and your destiny is to become loving and charming like God.
