| Congruence occurs when there is consistency | | | | The question arises for me as to how I can become |
| between what a person feels and says and how he | | | | more spiritually congruent. In some ways, spiritual |
| or she acts. I am being incongruent if I say that I will | | | | growth is just a movement towards spiritual |
| meet you for lunch at 12:00 but show up at 1:00 or if I | | | | congruency. For me, moving closer towards "praying |
| promise to call you but I never do. Eventually, I find | | | | without ceasing" would be an example of both spiritual |
| myself moving away from incongruent people even if I | | | | growth and a move towards spiritual congruency. |
| really like that person. | | | | I find it very hard to be spiritually congruent. If I am |
| I have noticed that being incongruent is taking a toll on | | | | honest with myself, my actions are rarely totally |
| me. I get very tired trying to say or do what I think | | | | aligned with my spiritual beliefs. One of the main |
| other people are expecting of me. Congruency means | | | | reasons for my spiritual incongruency is that my life is |
| that I do not have to present a "mask" to others. It is | | | | filled with distractions that reduce my ability to devote |
| very freeing and nourishing to operate from a core | | | | 100% of myself towards my relationship with God. I |
| spiritual center. Unfortunately, those moments are | | | | find that I can grow spiritually by identifying and |
| fewer than I would like. I find it interesting that Jesus | | | | removing those obstacles from my life. Some would |
| modeled congruency even as a child. When he was | | | | argue that what I do does not matter because only |
| 12, he stayed at Passover in response to a higher | | | | God can "save" me. I lean towards following the |
| calling instead of leaving with his family to return to | | | | saying: "Pray hard, but tie your camel first. " |
| Bethlehem. He was so focused on his goal that he did | | | | At this stage in my spiritual journey, I am not yet able |
| not even say anything to his parents about his plans. If | | | | to be spiritually congruent regardless of what I am |
| my son acted that way, I would be quick to criticize | | | | doing. I still have to focus on "tying my camel" before I |
| him for not being considerate and at least letting me in | | | | can pray effectively. Consequently, I am working on |
| advance know what he was going to do. Yet my | | | | identifying and removing distractions that are hindering |
| actions would be spiritually incongruent in that I believe | | | | my spiritual growth. Practicing spiritual congruency is |
| listening and responding God is more important than | | | | both a spiritual tool and a spiritual goal. |
| anything else. | | | | |