When people talk about “being spiritual,” it can mean anything from following your feelings to meditating in silence. But the Bible paints a different picture. In Colossians 3, Paul shows us what it really means to live a spiritual life—not based on emotions or vague experiences, but rooted in God's truth and anchored in eternity.
Here are four essential shifts that mark true spirituality, each calling us to align our lives with a higher reality.
1. Prioritize What Is Above Over What Is Below
Colossians 3:1-2
"Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above... not on earthly things."
Spirituality isn't just about thinking “higher thoughts”—it’s about anchoring your mindset in a reality that comes from above, not just around you. Paul doesn’t mean directionally “up” but dimensionally: God’s eternal realm is different from what we see or touch.
Jesus explained this kind of rebirth to Nicodemus in John 3:5–8, saying we must be “born of the Spirit.” That kind of life isn’t produced by effort or intellect—it’s given from above. A spiritual life begins by looking beyond your daily grind and setting your thoughts on the eternal values of Christ's kingdom: love, truth, holiness, and grace.
Application: Ask yourself, Where do my thoughts dwell most? If your priorities are shaped by heaven, your actions on earth will begin to reflect it.
2. Prioritize the Unseen Over the Seen
Colossians 3:3–4
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears..."
There’s something mysterious and powerful about being a Christian: your real identity is hidden—not obvious, not visible, and certainly not defined by the world. Paul says our life is “hidden with Christ,” and we will be revealed fully only when Christ appears again.
This about spiritual truth that must be revealed by God, because we can’t access it on our own. It’s the unseen identity we’ve been given in Christ.
Look at how Paul already described this earlier:
- Colossians 2:12 — we were buried and raised through faith.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 — we are a new creation, even when we feel like the old one.
- 1 John 3:2-3 — we are God's children now, even though the full reality hasn't appeared yet.
Application: Don’t measure your worth by what others can see. Live as someone already made new—because that’s who you are in Christ, even if it's not yet visible to the world.
3. Prioritize the Spiritual Over the Sensual
Colossians 3:5–11
"Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature... Because of these, the wrath of God is coming."
A major shift happens when we stop equating feelings with faith. Paul names sins that come from our senses—sexual immorality, greed, rage—and says to kill them off. These are powerful urges, but they aren’t the foundation of our life in Christ.
Why? Because spirituality is not about obeying your impulses—it’s about aligning with God’s revealed truth. We’re being “renewed in knowledge in the image of our Creator” (v.10). That means Jesus' teachings, not your feelings, shape who you become.
We are not defined by our past or by our instincts. We are shaped by the image of God and the truth of His Word.
Application: When feelings shout one thing and God's Word says another, which do you trust? True spirituality means training your heart to follow Jesus, not your emotions.
4. Prioritize What Lasts Over What Fades
Colossians 3:12–15
"Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience..."
The fruit of the Spirit—things like love and peace—might not make headlines, but they last forever. Paul urges us to put on virtues that reflect God's eternal character.
Notice the contrast: in the earlier verses, Paul told us to put off what is corrupt. Now he says to put on what will endure. These aren’t temporary virtues.
- 1 Corinthians 13:8 — “Love never fails.”
- 2 Peter 3:10–12 — Everything else will be burned up, but godly character will remain.
When you build your life around what lasts—relationships, character, faith—you are living spiritually. Not only does this shape your present, it prepares you for eternity.
Application: What are you investing in that will still matter in 100 years? That’s the mark of a spiritual life.
Final Thought:
Spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It comes by aligning with God’s reality—what is above, unseen, spiritual, and eternal. These four shifts are more than nice ideas. They are essential if we want to live in step with Christ, now and forever.
Consider these ideas and how you've approached life in the past. Can you see places you might have had the wrong idea about what it means to be spiritual? Let's chat in the comments!
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