spiritual virtue
Spiritual Maturity Is A Lifelong Journey
What does spiritual maturity mean to you? Every time I ask someone this question, I get all kinds of different answers.
A Baby Boomer I asked said it meant going to church, donating to charities, studying the Bible, and following the Ten Commandments.
When I asked a Gen Z client, she said it meant minding your own business and not caring what others think of you because it is none of your business what they think. She also said she was a Wiccan and didn’t believe in wishing negative energy on others, because she knew it would only come back to her if she did.
I recently asked four people at a social gathering, and they had different opinions on the subject. They were in their 30s and 40s and had a young teenager with them. Interestingly, one thing they all agreed on was that it is spiritually mature to create healthy boundaries with family and friends for your own mental and spiritual well-being. One woman shared, for exxample, that if she hadn’t stopped hanging out with one of her friends, she would have hit rock bottom emotionally.
“I just could not put up with the way she treated me. I used to spend a lot of time stressing about the things she would say and do. I was always overthinking every toxic interaction with her, and our so-called friendship was not good for my mental state,” she explained. “So, for me, spiritual maturity is walking away from those who bring you down.”
The Spiritual Virtue Of Patience
Patience is considered an essential virtue in most spiritual and religious traditions for several reasons. It is consistent with the core values and teachings of various spiritual paths and belief systems.
Many spiritual practices emphasize the importance of maintaining a state of inner calm in the midst of life’s challenges. Patience is fundamental to achieving inner peace and serenity. Patience helps us maintain a sense of serenity even in the face of extreme adversity.
Patience also enables us to surrender to the universal flow and accept the divine timing of outcomes for our highest good. We are better equipped to accept the divine plan and trust in the unfolding of events and circumstances as they are meant to be. Patience signifies our belief in a higher power and the universal order of all things.
Through patient introspection and self-reflection, we learn to understand our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which leads to spiritual growth and self-improvement.
Impatience leads to negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and resentment. By practicing patience, we can better control and manage these emotions, which promotes emotional well-being and spiritual harmony.
Without patience, it is also difficult to develop understanding and empathy for others. Being patient with our own flaws and imperfections, as well as those of others, promotes the spiritual qualities of empathy and kindness.