As the term is used in the Bible, spirituality can be described as a deep desire and willingness to please God and adopt his way of thinking. A spiritual person strives to live his life in harmony with God’s values and under the direction of His holy spirit. a—Romans 8:5; Ephesians 5:1.

 The Bible often uses contrasts to explain spirituality. For example, unlike a spiritual person, “a physical man does not accept the things of the spirit of God,” or God’s teachings. (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) In contrast with spiritual people, fleshly people are prone to “jealousy and strife” rather than generosity and peace. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) And those whose speech slanders and separates close friends are called “animalistic men, not having spirituality.”—Jude 19; Proverbs 16:28. b

In this article

•  Where does spirituality come from?

•  Why is spirituality important?

•  How can I develop spirituality?

•  Do I need religion to be spiritual?

•  Misconceptions about spirituality

•  Bible verses about spirituality

 We have the capacity for spirituality because we are made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:27) Thus, it is not surprising that most people have some appreciation and a yearning for things that are not material or physical.

 We have an inborn ability to display qualities like those of Jehovah c God, such as peace, mercy, and impartiality. (James 3:17) Further, God strengthens the spirituality of those who strive to obey his commands.—Acts 5:32.

 Spirituality leads to “life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) These gifts from God have value beyond compare.

•   Life: God promises to grant everlasting life to spiritual people.—John 17:3; Galatians 6:8.

•   Peace: This is peace with God. Those who focus only on their physical needs are enemies of God. (Romans 8:7) Further, God rewards those who cultivate spirituality with “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.” (Philippians 4:6, 7) Such inner peace helps them to find happiness in life.—Matthew 5:3.

•   Learn and obey God’s commands. You can do this by reading the Bible, which contains God’s thoughts as recorded by men who “were moved by holy spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21) What you learn will help you to worship God “with spirit and truth,” guided by holy spirit and in harmony with God’s will.—John 4:24.

•   Pray for God’s help. (Luke 11:13) God will help you to display the qualities that identify a spiritual person. (Galatians 5:22, 23) It can also give you the wisdom to deal with life’s challenges.—James 1:5.

•   Associate with spiritual people. They will encourage you to build your spirituality. (Romans 1:11, 12) In contrast, associating with people whose thinking conflicts with that of God can erode your spirituality.—James 4:4.

 Simply belonging to a religion does not make a person spiritual. The Bible says: “If any man thinks he is religious but does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship is futile.”—James 1:26, footnote.

 Even so, the Bible shows that spiritual people worship God in the way that he approves. They acknowledge that there is only “one spirit”—God’s holy spirit. That spirit moves them to worship God as “one body,” a congregated group that maintains “the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.”—Ephesians 4:1-4.

 Misconception: All creatures possess an innate spirituality.

 Fact: Everything God created brings honor to him. (Psalm 145:10; Romans 1:20) However, only God’s intelligent creatures can develop spirituality. In contrast, animals act on instinct and cannot establish a friendship with God. Their actions are mainly driven by their physical needs. (2 Peter 2:12) Thus, the Bible contrasts spirituality with animalistic thinking and behavior.—James 3:15; Jude 19.