Spiritual Survival Guide
1: Starting Well: Surviving Spiritually on the Inside
This is simply what some guys (Anthony, West, Nathaniel, Duncan, JT, Jose, Dennis, James, Doaikah, Robert, Earl, Wilfredo, Jacques, Dan and others) have experienced in their own lives about what actually works and what doesn’t. When you put the voices from the NRC together with the wisdom from the guys in C and D Block, an interesting picture comes into focus. There are some clear differences between what leads to a dead end spiritually and what actually does work over time. When you put it all together, you can see some very different paths toward change. One path—the one most of us, both inside and out- side prison, normally try—is based on a sense of crisis, cold hard facts, fear, or guilt. That’s a path we tend to try to walk alone. Ninety percent of the time it doesn’t work; it gets us nowhere. If you like those odds, you’re welcome to keep walking that path. There’s another path to a changed life, the path God holds out to you. It’s a path marked by new God-given lenses for seeing the world differently, by radical (and exciting) change, by practical short-term victories, and by ongoing help from friends going through the same thing. The choice, as they say, is yours. God’s Word describes it like this: I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Choose life!
What Doesn’t Work Fronting (spiritually and literally) Trying to fit in, be accepted Making yourself out to be more than you are
What Does Work
Being yourself
Focusing on God
Fasting
Talking too much
Fellowship with other Christians (inmates, staff, volunteers) Sharing the gospel with others
Listening too little
Formality
Daily prayer, meditation on God’s words
Spouting Bible knowledge without demonstrating God’s love
Studying the Bible
Thinking you are better than someone else Participating in Christian programs, 12-step programs Thinking that you’re so in tune with God that you take the place of God Exercising the fruit of the Holy Spirit Holding a cross, Bible, or rosary for good luck or favor from God Submitting yourself to God Being stuck in traditionalism Holding onto God’s promises Isolation or hermit conduct Talking about personal experiences with people who care and can relate Avoiding other believers Hearing other people’s stories of life change Procrastinating Not getting too discouraged over a lack of results Endless questioning of God Forgiving people Selfishness Listening to others Impatience Showing others you care Hanging out with people who are not saved Sacrifice Worrying too much about what others will think about you Getting older (it can help you become wiser!) Treating God like Santa Claus Sincere confession and repentance Trying to become perfect Trying your best to please God above all else Promoting God instead of yourself
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