Ten Questions to Diagnose your Spiritual Health – Review
Ten Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health was written Donald S. Whitney. The book’s subject is given away by its title. To me, this was thoroughly encouraging and challenging. Deep, rich, biblical wisdom concerning how to check your spiritual pulse and press forward in walking with Christ. In this short book, Whitney reasons from scripture how and why Christians must “make their calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). The first question concerning one’s spiritual health deals with thirsting for God. Whitney provides three examples of spiritual thirst. He draws firstly from the Bible to reason from scripture and references the writings of a few puritan writers. In chapter’s application section, Whitney points the reader to meditating on scripture, praying through scripture, and reading some puritan writers to help kindle a thirst for God.
Without going through the entire book and giving away too much information, I would like to make the point that Whitney’s concern for true, biblical, Christ-exalting discipleship, and grace motivated obedience to God is evident throughout and permeates each page. He expounds on how being ruled by God’s Word affects the believer’s life, and the priority scripture is to have in governing our thoughts, words, and actions. Perhaps this book could have been called the marks of a true Christian. Whitney points out that a Christian should be increasing in his love for others and Christ’s church, his consciousness of God’s presence, recognizing the spiritual and temporary needs of those around us, grieving over our sin, the role of forgiveness in our life, and finally, our longing for heaven and being with Jesus.
Overall, this book is an excellent balance between doctrine and living the Christian life. Or, it may be better stated Whitney shows how doctrine affects and informs the Christian life. Each chapter provides an answer to the chapter question, the doctrinal point, and then at the end of each chapter provides and application section. I truly appreciate the doctrine-application pattern. This book is promising for small groups, family devotions, or individual study.