Open yourself up to the possibility of being rich to make a difference. It is easy to cash in a heavy paycheck, avoiding debt to a higher power is where the fulfilment lies. Being spiritually bankrupt can cost you in ways that prove to be more expensive.
The personal exploration, that is spirituality, calls to us about the notion that we are sum parts of a whole on a cosmic scale. Having significance beyond our mundane everyday happenings comes with the responsibility of a greater sense of purpose that affects divine happenings. The economy created within this universal theme comes with its own share of defaulters in debt to the Higher power. This sense of spiritual bankruptcy demands discipline and control in a balanced setting for progress in mind, body and soul.
What does it mean to be spiritually bankrupt
Driving luxury cars, living in grand mansions, wearing premium clothing and having drinks with the higher classes of society can still be a mask to hide bankruptcy. Not the financial kind but the empty and dissatisfying spiritual form of the same. This might come as a relief but can prove to be so much worse.
Our spiritual quotient is a permanent part of our body, mind and soul. Finances are temporary and volatile and can make you feel poorer than ever in the light of being spiritually bankrupt. This special form of bankruptcy can rear its ugly head even in the times of financial prosperity.
Falling into debt is more often than not a high risk situation. It separates us from financial freedom in the same way sinning comes in between us and spiritual enrichment.
Honesty, faithfulness and gratuity are essential cornerstones of a spiritual awakening. A single sin is all it takes to be a step closer to being spiritually bankrupt and miles away from fulfilment. And before you know it crushing debt has taken over despite a 5 figure bank balance.
The heavy feeling of guilt and regret may have begun to creep into the back of your mind by now. Past mistakes seem to be harder to shrug off and even harder to forget. But a Higher power is not just a bright light that claims to be of guidance or even simply religion. It can teach and even be understanding, provided we take care of our finances, spiritually. And here’s how.
How to avoid a life of spiritual bankruptcy
- The Lord has paid heroically for our spiritual debt in full, and does not leave room for any kind of credit. Misalignment and deviation to morals and ethics leave a lasting impression often forgiven but not forgotten. This is an important note to keep reminding ourselves about as we make decisions in the future. Consider ourselves to be on borrowed time, spiritually. Missteps with regard to a currency that is not ours to begin with has massive repercussions that get harder and harder to cower from.
- Expecting God to show you an easy way out armed with a quick fix for everything life may throw at you can result in bitterness and mistrust. When in reality the Higher power can only guide and challenge, not pave a convenient route. Bribing “God” to your convenience took no one anywhere. Developing high expectations only to be disappointed leads to making mistakes that can be heavy on your spiritual bank. A debt with an infinite interest rate is hard to pay back and even harder to not repeat.
- Confessing. Accepting a misguided decision and asking for forgiveness is a step in the right direction. Apologies from the heart to help cleanse the soul in regular deposits to ensure a steady flow of spiritual riches can make all the difference.
- Learning and growing with respect to faith, prayers and optimism. Turns out “have a little faith” is more than just a cute movie dialogue. Understanding the relationship dynamic between the Higher power and your inner self forms a strong differentiation between spiritual bankruptcy and yourself. Careful consideration of your assets and spending is the first step to avoid filing for bankruptcy. The same style of organization and understanding from within with the right help is required to avoid an unsatisfactory and unethical lifestyle.
- Hanging on by the skin of your teeth is no fun when it comes to bankruptcy, including spiritual bankruptcy. Knowing when and how to ask for help can make or break the all important difference. Fellow faithfuls can come to your aid at any given point of time. The lowest of lows can be countered by a helping hand from a well-meaning fellow person on the path towards a spiritual high.
Maintaining a life of spiritual fulfilment is no easy task. At the peak of immoral distractions and unhealthy competition drifting through life spiritually bankrupt is often easier but comes with a price.
How do I lead a spiritually fulfilling life
Understanding the weight of reaching a stage where you can no longer call in favors as your spiritual bank has been drained may seem like an easy task compared to what lies ahead. Maintaining a savings account despite temptations all around is the real challenge. Similarly, suppressing the urge to take the unethical and immoral but easier route comes with its own fair share of difficulties. Resisting these temptations will take some work, after all we are all humans.
- A feeling of exhaustion and unfairness often drives us to make bitter and questionable decisions. Unethical minds are often related to an unfit body. Core physical strength and control of your energy has an incredible positive effect on your mind and spirituality. An activity or vocation that is more than chasing after a well-paying job can give your life purpose. A healthy body reflects a healthy mind and subsequently keeps a spiritual bankrupt lifestyle away.
- You are not alone in your journey to avoid spiritual and financial bankruptcy. They may be worlds apart, regardless of which they go hand in hand. A well-rounded career decision can do a world of good in the long run. An unsatisfactory 9-5 in an office cubicle you did not sign up for can take a toll on your path to fulfilment. The right job that resonates with your core and purpose is of utmost importance. An honest service and widespread contribution to the world brings you satisfaction and makes sure you don’t stray from the moral route.
- No one can make people feel like other people. Keep your loved ones close and automatically allow yourself to be guided away from the path of being spiritually bankrupt. The idea that there is more to life than your existence is what lays the foundation for spirituality itself. The first step to enforce that belief is to remind yourself that family and friends give life meaning like nothing else. Setting examples and carrying forward your memory even after your time in this world is done is what makes them such a crucial part of your journey to spiritual fulfilment.
Overcoming a life spent being spiritually bankrupt
A life of spiritual bankruptcy is a lonely one. Constantly relying on your sole self-sufficiency with no reservoir for a refill is exhausting. Drawing energy from within yourself drains yourself of empathy and happiness. This spiritual disconnection and imbalance down a dishonest path makes you ask yourself “what is the point?.”
The freedom you felt in the good old days and the carefree feeling that left no space for intrusive thoughts. Thoughts that push you to take a drastic step “just one more time.” And continues till you have a spiritually bankrupt face looking back at you from the mirror.
What are we seeking that we simply cannot find? Is it heart? The spiritual bank that has been evading our grasp for years. If “how” is the question, we have some answers.
- First, ask yourself how willing you are to pull yourself out of crushing debt. A sense of fearlessness, humility, kindness and faith come together in your path to rebuild. Only you can put in the work required to push back from a life of borrowed time and spiritual currency. Invest in time for yourself by yourself. A daily deposit of work and self realization goes a long way in your quest for spiritual progress, not perfection.
- An open mind and willingness to welcome change and help with open arms will determine your rate of success. Constantly questioning and mistrusting the process can result in a disastrous hit on your self-worth and ability to be sympathetic. Opening yourself up to the fact that you will need help from within yourself and so much more is an important step. A closed approach never resulted in salvation from the empty, immoral feeling that is spiritual bankruptcy.
- Recovering from being spiritually bankrupt in the economy of a Higher power will require brutal honesty. Hiding your intentions from others and yourself can create a selfish vicious cycle that drains you to the very core. Bank balances come and go, but a tired soul will find it very difficult to repent. They need to come to terms with their unhealthy surroundings that hinder their goal to reach spiritual fulfilment.
- Every dishonest action comes with an asterisk warning in fine print that we can easily and often miss. Rebuilding a sense of duty and honor and giving in to otherworldly sensory experiences that encompasses spirituality helps break away from the toxic cycle. This twister of lost energy and zest is created in our own deviation from the path to riches we seek that is within us the entire time.
