The “R” wheel of spiritual progress


The “R” wheel of spiritual progress



  1. Notice that it is a wheel.. which reveals constant motion.  
  2. Spiritual progression is not an event.
  3. It is a wheel that keeps going round and round.
  4. Henri Nouewen:  The Spiritual life requires a constant claiming of our true identity 
  5. The more you go around, the easier, the quicker, and ultimately the less you go around.  If however, you never begin the process you will stay the same—and never progress in intimacy and love with God.
Points on the wheel:

  1. Recognition:  You recognize something is amiss.. something is wrong.  You begin to think/ dream/ imagine/ understand that there has to be more in your spiritual life. You see this variance between your spiritual experience/life and the spiritual life you read about in the Scriptures, or in biographies, or see in other people whom you know. (2Peter 3:18; 2Tim 1:5; 1Cor 11:1)
  2. Relish:  You move past the … something is wrong… to desire… you relish to have more, experience more.  You desire greater intimacy.  You desire a greater presence of the Spirit in your life.  You relish the idea of being with God—hearing His voice—developing a ever deepening relationship with Him. (Phil 3:10; Psalm 73)
  3. Repentance:   You realize that you are the issue—God is not.  God wants you more than you want Him.  You repent—seek God’s mercy—asking for grace and Spirit empowerment to consecrate yourself afresh (Romans 2:4: Psalm 119:18)
  4. Restoration:  God in His mercy brings you into a new place of restoration. This is a higher level of presence and intimacy than you have experienced before. (Psalm 51:12; Romans 5:1-5)
  5. Replacement: At this stage, because of the higher level the Spirit will help you replace earthly or fleshly things with spiritual things.  You will be reading Scripture more, praying more often.  You will even begin reading and prayer in a different manner.  You will notice that there is a deeper sense of God in prayer and reading than you noticed prior to this.  You will love people more. You will serve people more—give more—be kinder and gentler. (1John 4:20;5:2; Mark 12:30-31)
  6. Reinstatement:  Here you are reinstated—so to speak as a child of God.  It is like being born again.  Something significant has changed—and it ‘feels’ like you have been reinstated as a child of God. (Gal 4:19; 1Cor 1:18; 2:15)
  7. Recognition: You are now ready to begin the process again…






Rev Peter W Cusick 

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