Spiritual Formation Diagnostic ToolsDo you identify with one of the key questions below?Are you in touch with your longings? Do any of the primary longings listed below ring true for you today?Which temptations express where you are?Are there any signs of being spiritually stuck in your journey?Which stage reflects your heart at this moment in time?

SEASONS OF THE SOUL   Spring Summer Autumn Winter Seasoned Saint

KEY QUESTION What is life about? Who am I?

How can I grow as a disciple and share my faith?

How do I shoulder responsibility for my gifts and bear fruit?

What happens when the well runs dry? Who is God when the darkness comes?

How do I remain open and in communion with Jesus? How do I graciously let go and prepare for my last letting go?

PRIMARY LONGINGS

To know and belong to God

To love and be lovedTo grow in grace and

truth

To live an authentic life of meaningful contribution

To find God in the darkness

To experience the God who is beyond me

To abide in GodTo love God above all

else in life, keeping him first

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  Spring Summer Autumn Winter Seasoned Saint

SIGNS OF THE SEASON

Thirst for meaningAwareness of

longing or need or awe

Spiritual awakening but may not yet embrace Jesus

Passion to belong and grow

Discovery of and rightness about my new identity and call

Feeling of homecoming and security (This is the leader, church, cause or group for me.)

Bear fruit, and use my gifts

Take initiative and responsibility

Spiritual industry and aspirations

In touch with my strengths

Feel stuck, angry or distant from God

Doubts and crises of faithLonging for new

directions, and encounter with God

Face personal limits and identify inner brokenness

Find God in my weakness

Begin to realize the link between weakness and fruitfulness, between being and doing

Calling and vocation flow from experiential sense of being God’s beloved

Live out God’s love for others, investing in their growth

Let go—receive everything as part of God’s goodness

Habitual openness and thankfulness to God

Communion with God 

TEMPTATIONS Thinking a decision for Christ means missing out on life

Avoiding implications of the gospel

We-they mentality, “I know”; judgment of those who don’t believe like me

Head and heart begin to separate

Overidentification with titles, praise, influence, giftedness, etc.

Anxiety, materialism, control

Burn out, too much doing, too little being the beloved

Depression, fear of being found out, navel gazing

Rationalization, denial, blame

PretenseBitterness, isolation

Side-tracked in personal agendas and second things

Refuse to let go, thus becoming rigid, overly opinionated, demanding

Critical and complaining

SIGNS OF STUCKNESS AND FAILURE TO THRIVE

Too busy to be connected

Remain anonymousTake no intentional

steps toward growth

Diminished sense of longing for God

Myself and my family come first; Christ and his kingdom come second

Responsibility without joy

Defensive when challenged to change

Denial of doubts and out of touch with my weaknesses

Lack of awareness of where God is at work in me

Lack of hope that anything can change

Christian fellowship seems contrived and superficial

Can’t find God in my lifeAnger at simple answersLagging desire to pray

Bitterness and resentment about life

Feeling that I have nothing more to give

Inability to let go

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  Spring Summer Autumn Winter Seasoned Saint

DISCIPLINES ConfessionBible StudyConversational

PrayerWorshipSpiritual FriendshipTeachabilityDiscipling

Small GroupServiceCommunitySimplicityUnityTruth TellingIntercessionStewardship

ExamenMentoringRule of LifeRestSelf-CareWalking PrayerHospitalityMeditationSlowing

JournalingDevotional ReadingDetachmentSolitudeLabyrinthFixed-Hour PrayerSpiritual DirectionHealing PrayerUnpluggingDiscernment

Contemplative PrayerDetachmentHumilityPracticing the

PresenceBreath PrayerSubmissionGratitude

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Finding and Following Your Spiritual Path

The “Finding Your Spiritual Path” and “Following Your Spiritual Path” charts (pages 32-35) can help us see our need for a holistic spiritual journey. The charts reference the Myers-Briggs personality type index. If you don’t know your Myers-Briggs type, you can still look at the charts to determine which columns more accurately reflect who you are. The last rows indicate the path you might need to follow for more wholeness, both individually and corporately as a team, turning to those who have the strength you are seeking. We all need one another.

Charts taken from Invitation to a Journey by M. Robert Mulholland. Copyright (c) 1993. Used with permission of Center for Applications of Psychological Type, 2815 NW 13th St., Suite 401, Gainsville, FL 32609

Finding Your Spiritual PathNote: These words are meant to suggest, not to define or to limit understanding.

Preferred Attitude, Function or Lifestyle

ExtroversionE

IntroversionI

SensingS

IntuitionN

ThinkingT

FeelingF

JudgmentJ

PerceptionP

Primary Arena World/Other Ideas/Self Body Spirit Mind Heart Will Awareness

Preference for Action Reflection Sensory realityDetails

Status quo

PossibilitiesPatternsChange

Objective values

Subjective values

Initiative Response

Significant Aspects of Reality

Exterior Interior Immediacy Concreteness

AnticipationVision

Theory Principles

Feeling Memory

Ideal

Product Category

Process Conditional

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Preferred Attitude, Function or Lifestyle

ExtroversionE

IntroversionI

SensingS

IntuitionN

ThinkingT

FeelingF

JudgmentJ

PerceptionP

Windows Through Which God’s Revelation Is Received

PeopleEvents

ScriptureNatural world

Individual experienceInspirationInner world

SocietyInstitutions“The Seen”

InsightImagination

“The Unseen”

ReasonSpeculation

RelationshipsEmotions

Order“Ought”

Serendipity“Is”

Significant Aspects of God

ImmanenceCreator

Imago Dei

TranscendenceIdentity of God and inner self

Incarnation MysteryHoly Spirit

The AbsolutePrinciple

First Cause

RelationalFamilial (e.g.

Father)

JudgeRuler

RedeemerHealer

Approach to Bible, Religious Experience

Social Solitary PracticalLiteral

SymbolicMetaphorical

AnalyticalAbstract

PersonalImmediate

Systematic Of-the-moment

Avoids (Hell) ExclusionLoneliness

IntrusionsConfusion

Ambiguity RestrictionRepetition

InconsistencyIgnorance

ConflictEstrangement

HelplessnessDisorder

RegimentationDeadlines

Seeks (Heaven)

ParticipationReunion

IncorporationFulfillment

Physical harmony

FaithfulnessObedience

Aesthetic harmonyMystical

union

Conceptual harmony

EnlightenmentJustice, Truth

Personal harmony

CommunionAppreciation

ClosureProductivityWork ethic

OpennessReceptivityPlay ethic

Prayer Corporate Private Sensuous (eyes, ears, nose, hands,

mouth)

Intuitive Cognitive Affective Planned Unplanned

5

Preferred Attitude, Function or Lifestyle

ExtroversionE

IntroversionI

SensingS

IntuitionN

ThinkingT

FeelingF

JudgmentJ

PerceptionP

Natural Spiritual Path

Action Reflection Service Awareness Knowledge Devotion Discipline Spontaneity

Needed for Wholeness

Reflection Action or Participation

Awareness or Understanding

Service or Embodiment

Devotion Knowledge Spontaneity Discipline

Copyright 1982 Centre for Applications of Psychological Type

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Following Your Spiritual PathNote: Our aim is a balanced, centered spirituality. These words are meant to facilitate understanding, not to stifle individuality.

Spiritual Path ActionE

ReflectionI

ServiceS

AwarenessN

KnowledgeT

DevotionF

DisciplineJ

SpontaneityP

Some Positive Expressions

Assertiveness

Building community

Independence

Deepening community

Love Pleasure

EcstasyAnticipation

EquanimityObjectivity

Compassion Rapport, Trust

Discrimination

Competence

Acceptance Serenity

Some Negative Expressions

Anger Attack

FearWithdrawal

Attachment Elation Depression

Apathy Criticalness

Sentimentality Overprotectivenes

s

Inappropriate control

Judging others

Failure to take responsibility

Underdevelopment May Lead to

Isolation Lack of

circumspection

EmptinessDependence

Abstraction Overlooking

Flatness Confusion ColdnessDistrust

Loss of purpose

Indecision

Premature closure

Baseless conclusions

Overdevelopment May Lead to

ImpatienceShallowness

WithholdingIdiosyncrasyInappropriate

intensity

IdolatryFrivolity

Inappropriate conformity

IllusionImpracticalityStubbornnes

sFickleness

Reductionism

CynicismDogmatismRumination

CredulityPersonalizing

Blaming

RigidityPerfectionis

m

PassivityImpulsivenessProcrastinatio

n

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Spiritual Path ActionE

ReflectionI

ServiceS

AwarenessN

KnowledgeT

DevotionF

DisciplineJ

SpontaneityP

Special Temptations and Vulnerabilities

DistractionSuggestibility

InactionInclusion by

others

SuperstitionSuspicion

Fear of change

Primitive sensuality

Psychogenic illness

Emotional explosion,

exploitation, indulgence

Contaminated thinking

Idealizing authority

Pseudo-objectivityHurt feelings

Self-righteousnes

sScrupulosity

Rebelliousness

Carelessness

Needed for Wholeness

Reflection Action or Participation

Awareness or Understandin

g

Service or Embodiment

Devotion Knowledge Spontaneity Discipline

Copyright 1982 Centre for Applications of Psychological Type

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