It can be tempting to focus on one particular aspect of the spiritual life, while neglecting other important aspects.
The problem is that the spiritual life is complex and is interrelated, meaning that everything is connected.
St. Gregory of Nyssa makes this point plain and clear in his Treatise on Christian Perfection, highlighting three particular spiritual principles:
The life of the Christian has three distinguishing aspects: deeds, words and thought.
He first explains how thought is important, as it impacts both our words and deeds:
Thought comes first, then words, since our words express openly the interior conclusions of the mind. Finally, after thoughts and words, comes action, for our deeds carry out what the mind has conceived.
Priority of focus
This is why St. Gregory suggests that thoughts need to be worked on first, as they affect everything else:
So when one of these results in our acting or speaking or thinking, we must make sure that all our thoughts, words and deeds are controlled by the divine ideal, the revelation of Christ. For then our thoughts, words and deeds will not fall short of the nobility of their implications.
Examining our lives
If we wish to progress in the spiritual life, we need to examine these three areas to discern if we are proceeding from the proper intentions:
What then must we do, we who have been found worthy of the name of Christ? Each of us must examine his thoughts, words and deeds, to see whether they are directed toward Christ or are turned away from him.
It is not enough to curb our tongue, or to do good deeds. We need to bring our spiritual life into harmony so that our thoughts, words and deeds all glorify God in a beautiful unity.
