Owning Your Spiritual Journey: Taking Responsibility for Your Walk with God

Every single one of us is on a spiritual journey, whether we realize it or not. Inside each of our hearts is a longing for something more – what the Bible calls “eternity set in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We recognize deep down that there must be more to life than what we’re currently experiencing.

But here’s the challenge: your spiritual walk with God is so vitally important that you cannot delegate it to someone else. You must own it personally.

What Does It Mean to Be on a Spiritual Journey?

Our spiritual journeys typically follow a path:

• Seeking – Before knowing Christ, we seek hope and satisfaction in things that only temporarily satisfy
• Saved – When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
• Sanctified – The ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus
• Sent – Living on mission to build God’s kingdom
• Eternity – Spending forever with God

The problem is that many Christians get stuck after salvation. They accept Jesus as if salvation was just a ticket punch to wait for heaven. But that’s like being gifted a mansion and choosing to live only in the living room! You’ve been given keys to something grand that you can’t fully enjoy if you don’t move beyond what’s comfortable.

How Do I Take Ownership of My Spiritual Journey?

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:15-18 gives us insight into what owning our spiritual journey looks like:

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”

From this prayer, we can identify three essential components:

1. We Grow in a Personal Relationship with God

God designed you to have a personal relationship with Him – not just to know about Him, but to truly know Him. Many Christians still act as if they need to go through someone else (like a pastor) to connect with God, but Jesus made it possible for you to have direct access.

Jesus explained this in John 15:4-5: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Practical ways to cultivate this personal relationship include:

• Bible reading – Even just 5 minutes daily can transform your life
• Worship – Not just on Sundays, but as a lifestyle
• Tithing – Putting God first in your finances
• Prayer – Two-way communication with God
• Fasting – If you don’t feel hungry for God, starve your flesh

2. We Walk with Kingdom Purpose

Paul prays “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you.” This means there’s a purpose God has for your life.

Often, where God is leading you is based on what He’s delivered you from. Your past isn’t wasted – God uses it for His glory.

In Mark 5:18-20, we see this principle at work. After Jesus delivered a man from demon possession, the man wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” The man then went to ten towns sharing his testimony.

Many Christians have settled for just trying to “get in the boat with Jesus” instead of being sent on mission for Him. But you’ve been saved from something for something. Your unique story matters, and you need to leverage your time, talent, and treasure to live with kingdom purpose.

3. We Are Connected to a Local Body of Believers

If you want to own your spiritual journey, you must be connected to a local church. Not just attending, but truly connected.

For years, we’ve preached “relationship over religion,” which isn’t incorrect but is incomplete. Your relationship with God will not thrive without connection to a local body of believers.

Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Being connected to a local church provides:

• Community – Not everyone needs to know your story, but someone needs to
• Counsel – Wise voices lead to wise choices
• Correction – People who love you enough to be honest with you
• Collaboration – Your strengths make up for others’ weaknesses, and vice versa

Why You Need All Three Components

You can’t pick just two out of these three components and expect to thrive:

• If you have a personal walk with God and kingdom purpose but no connection to a local body, you’ll live in isolation.
• If you have kingdom purpose and connection to a local body but no personal walk with God, you’ll live in an identity crisis.
• If you have a personal walk with God and connection to a local body but no kingdom purpose, you’ll live in inactivity.

You need all three to truly own your spiritual journey.

Life Application

Owning your spiritual journey means accepting responsibility for it. Your pastor’s job is to equip you for the journey, not to do it for you. When you stand before God, He won’t ask about your pastor – He’ll ask what you did with His Son and how you stewarded what He gave you.

As one wise mentor said, “The excuse only satisfies the teller.” There are many reasons we might give for not taking ownership of our spiritual journey, but none are sufficient for a God who has invited us into something so beautiful.

Ask yourself these questions this week:

• Am I actively cultivating a personal relationship with God, or am I relying on others to do it for me?
• How am I using my unique story and gifts to fulfill God’s kingdom purpose?
• In what ways am I genuinely connected to my local church beyond just attendance?
• Which of the three components (personal relationship, kingdom purpose, or church connection) is weakest in my life right now, and what specific step can I take to strengthen it?

Remember, the Creator of the universe wants a personal relationship with you. He doesn’t need you – He wants you. He’s invited you to carry His goodness, grace, and mercy to the ends of the earth. Don’t settle for less than all He has for you.