Spiritual Alignment
I had to go to the chiropractor not long ago for some minor problems I was having with my back and neck. With a few adjustments the chiropractor was able to get my spine back into alignment, eliminating my symptoms of pain and numbness. It made me think about how we can get out of alignment spiritually as well.
We might not be exactly where we need to be in our relationship with God, or perhaps we aren’t completely lined up with his instructions or teachings. Sometimes we’ll seem to notice that things feel just a little bit off or not right (like my back and neck did). We may even notice that we have drifted away slightly or don’t feel as passionate as we used to. There might be a sense of dryness or just going through the motions. We may feel spiritually unproductive or unfruitful.
When we are spiritually misaligned we can become spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically depleted. These may all be symptoms of spiritual misalignment just as my pain and numbness were symptoms of physical misalignment.
Staying connected to Jesus to maintain spiritual alignment
Around that same time that I went to the chiropractor, I had spent some time reading John 15 and noticed how it shows us one way we can stay IN spiritual alignment by abiding or remaining in Jesus and his love and by God’s word abiding in us.
Pastor Tony Evans said, “John 15 says that if you will abide in Him and His Word, and He abides in you, you can do anything. You can overcome anything. Your prayers will be answered because your prayers will be aligned to Him. Jesus doesn’t want you to just learn about Him, study some stories, post some Scripture and throw up some prayers. He wants a relationship with YOU. That’s the kingdom encounter you need to pursue. It’s called: abiding.”[1]
“1I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
16You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:1-17 (NLT)