Life Dimensions
Use these nine dimensions of life to help you
identify areas of strength and areas for work.
First Stage
Place a mark on each radial line to indicate your level of satisfaction in that dimension.
A mark at the outer rim indicates that is a dimension of life in which you are completely satisfied.
A mark at the centre indicates an area of deep dissatisfaction.
The paragraphs below the diagram explain more fully what lies within each dimension.
Spirituality This dimension covers your prayer habits, reading of the Bible and other devotional literature, the impressions and insights you have gained from your prayer and reading and the decisions you have taken as a result. We are teasing out your level of hunger for God, his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33) as a matter of first priority.
Character Think about such character traits as: humility and pride, love and apathy, patience and courage, generosity and selfishness, integrity and compromise, kindness and cruelty, self-control and impulsiveness.
Emotional health Even the most effective Christian leaders are subject to becoming emotionally unhealthy. Think about: incidents of anger and expressions of frustration over struggles of any sort; what you have been enjoying and special achievements you have attained; the impact of losses you have suffered, and whether or not this is making you susceptible to depression.
Physical health Are you in good shape? Are you taking regular holidays? Have you suffered sickness or injury? How are your sleep patterns, habits of eating and exercise?
Material welfare Is your salary level sufficient? What debts are of concern?Do you have specific saving targets?Are your housing arrangements adequate?Is your attitude toward possessions pleasing to God?
Life balance It is of little value for you to be outstanding in one area of your life yet fail miserably in others. How well do you integrate each part of their life into the whole under the Lordship of Christ? Review how you are learning the ‘unforced rhythms of grace’, how you are putting sound, Biblical priorities in place, what steps you are taking to introduce multiple ‘facets’ to your recreational time, and how flexible you are generally to make adjustments to your life when unforseen circumstances arise.
LearningDo you enjoy energising intellectual stimulation? What conversations are you having that cause you to think? What are you reading that expands your mind? Are you writing in order to marshal your thoughts for the benefit of others?Do you desire to love God with your whole mind?
VocationThis covers your performance within your role, what is most exciting about your work, what the current challenges are, what development opportunities are being made available and whether or not you have a sense of meaning and significance in connection with your work. Are your relationships with those to whom you are accountable and those who are accountable to you, healthy and positive?
Key relationships The true state of your inner life is often demonstrated most clearly in the context of your relationships with those closest to you, starting with your immediate family. Do any relationships with persons other thanyour spouse present a possible danger?Are any relationships particularly challenging, requiring extra grace to maintain?Are there new relationships that may open up God-given opportunities for witness?
Second Stage
In order to dig a bit deeper, assess each dimension asking these questions:
- How well-resourced and supported am I in this dimension?
- How much pressure am I under in this dimension at the moment?
- How much effort have I been putting into this dimension of my life recently?
- How would I like to adjust the level of attention I’m giving to this dimension?
Rick Lewis / Anamcara Consulting © 2016