Measuring Your Spiritual Zeal

I typed in google search “measure of our spiritual zeal. The AI overview offered this response.

“A person’s “spiritual zeal” can be measured by the level of passion, dedication, and active effort they demonstrate in their spiritual practice, often reflected through consistent acts of service, prayer, study, and a genuine desire to share their faith with others, essentially gauging how deeply committed they are to their spiritual life through their actions rather than just intentions.”

AI further added these key points when measuring one’s spiritual zeal

Active participation:
Regularly attending religious services, engaging in community outreach, and actively seeking opportunities to practice their faith.

Depth of commitment:
Demonstrating a genuine enthusiasm and fervor in their spiritual practices, going beyond the bare minimum.

Personal reflection and growth:
Consistently seeking to deepen their understanding of their faith through study and introspection.

Impact on others:
Inspiring others through their positive example and willingness to share their faith.

In a class we’re teaching on Sunday Morning from Phillip Shumate’s book, Lifelong Zeal: How To Build Lasting Passion For God, he offers a method for measuring your zeal. Based on a chapter from Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love, they are a series of 14 traits or behaviors commonly found in zealous Christians. Your response to these statements ought to provide some insight into your current level of spiritual zeal.

As you read each one determine how frequently this statement applies to you, then assign one of the numerical values below.

0= Never
2 = Rarely
4 = Sometimes
5 = Often
6 = Usually
7 = Always

____  • My love for God and for my neighbors is the overriding factor in every one of my decisions (Matt 22:36–40).

____  • I put God’s glory ahead of personal preferences, reputation or safety (Luke 9:23)

. ____  • I connect intentionally with the poor, hungry, or imprisoned (Matt. 25:31–46).

____  • I seek to please God more than pleasing the people around me or meeting cultural expectations of success (Gal. 1:10).

____  • I embrace servant-hood with all I am, knowing humility is the only way to battle the temptations of pride. (Luke 17:10)

____  • I find joy in pleasing God, even when it requires sacrifice or suffering (James 1:2–4).

____  • I give generously and lovingly (Acts 20:35, 2 Cor. 9:7).

____  • I think about heaven over and over again as the focus of my life (Col. 3:2, Phil. 1:21).

____  • I walk the narrow path of total devotion to God. I will not give up and cannot be shut up (Acts 4:20).

____  • I open up to God and acknowledge my sin without trying to hide, minimize, or excuse it. Instead I depend on Jesus Christ to wash it all away. (1 John 1:5–10)

____  • I draw near to God often. I know just hearing one sermon a week won’t keep my fire burning brightly. Through study, prayer, and action, I strive to grow and mature (2 Tim. 2:15).

____  • I choose character over comfort and holiness over happiness. I accept loving reproof and correction so I can be a useful vessel in God’s household (2 Tim. 2:21).

____  • I praise and worship God with thankfulness for His grace and the awesome privilege of being His child (Heb. 13:15).

____  • I keep His commandments without adding to or taking away from His inspired Word (John 14:21, Deut. 4:2)

. ____ Total (Possible 98)

If you feel this exercise is silly or oversimplified, consider how well Jesus would score. Aren’t we to heed His call to follow Him? (Lk. 9;23). How well would Paul do? He exhorts us to be crucified with Christ as he was? (Gal. 2:20). How well would Peter do? He commanded that we follow in Jesus’ steps? (1 Pet. 2:21).

Finally, consider this a means to apply 2Corinthians 13:5. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

How’s your level of spiritual zeal?

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman