Book Review: Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, by Donald S. Whitney
In Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney acts as a “physician of the soul,” moving beyond outward religious activity to help readers assess the internal reality of their walk with Christ. Rather than focusing on a checklist of “to-dos,” Whitney provides ten diagnostic questions designed to measure the pulse of a person’s sanctification and growth in Christlikeness.
1. Do You Thirst for God?
Whitney argues that “soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth.” He distinguishes between a natural desire for more things and a spiritual thirst for God Himself. Drawing from Psalm 42, he suggests that a healthy Christian doesn’t just want God’s blessings but longs for intimacy with God, much like a “deer pants for streams of water.”
2. Are You Governed Increasingly by God’s Word?
Spiritual health is not measured by how much of the Bible you know, but by how much of it rules you. This question evaluates whether the Scripture is increasingly the authority over your decisions, attitudes, and lifestyle. It shifts the focus from academic knowledge to practical submission under the Lordship of Christ.
3. Are You More Loving?
Because God is love, the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work is a growing capacity to love others. Whitney emphasizes that this isn’t a vague feeling but a sacrificial, Christlike love. He challenges readers to look for recent, concrete instances where they sacrificed their own preferences for the sake of another.
4. Are You More Sensitive to God’s Presence?
Whitney uses the analogy of “blue eyes”: once you start looking for things that are blue, you see them everywhere. Similarly, a healthy soul develops “God eyes”—an increasing awareness of God’s presence and work in everyday moments, rather than just during formal worship services or “spiritual” activities.
5. Do You Have a Growing Concern for the Spiritual and Temporal Needs of Others?
This question bridges the gap between private piety and public action. A maturing Christian will feel the weight of both people’s physical suffering (temporal needs) and their need for the Gospel (spiritual needs). Growth is marked by a move away from self-centeredness toward active service and evangelism.
6. Do You Delight in the Bride of Christ?
Whitney notes that “the closer you are to the Lord, the closer you will be to other believers.” This diagnostic asks if you genuinely love the church—not just “The Church” in a global sense, but the local, messy, imperfect community of believers. A lack of delight in the “Bride of Christ” (the Church) is often a symptom of a distant relationship with the “Groom” (Jesus).
7. Are the Spiritual Disciplines Increasingly Important to You?
While Whitney is known for his work on spiritual disciplines (like prayer, fasting, and journaling), he views them here as “channels of grace.” A healthy Christian values these habits not as legalistic duties, but as essential means to experience God and be changed by Him.
8. Do You Still Grieve Over Sin?
Paradoxically, the more a Christian grows in holiness, the more sensitive they become to their own sin. Whitney suggests that if you no longer feel a deep grief or “groaning” over your sin, you may be stagnating. He contrasts the “godly grief” of David (Psalm 51) with the mere regret of Esau.
9. Are You a Quicker Forgiver?
An unforgiving spirit is described as a “killer of spiritual life.” Whitney argues that because a Christian has been forgiven an unpayable debt, the natural fruit of health is a heart that is increasingly ready and quick to extend forgiveness to others, reflecting the character of Christ.
10. Do You Yearn for Heaven and to Be with Jesus?
The final diagnostic looks at the direction of your desires. As we mature, our “groaning” for this world should be replaced by a yearning for the next. This isn’t an escapist wish to avoid trouble, but a focused desire to be “with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:23).
Key Themes & Takeaways
- Heart Over Habit: The book warns against “spiritual business.” One can be active in every church committee and still be spiritually malnourished.
- The Role of the Spirit: Diagnosis is a cooperative effort with the Holy Spirit. Whitney encourages readers to pray through these questions, asking God to reveal the true state of their hearts.
- Non-Legalistic Growth: The use of words like “increasingly,” “more,” and “quicker” suggests that spiritual health is about direction rather than perfection. It acknowledges that growth takes time and varies in pace.
“You may judge of a man by what he groans after.” — C.H. Spurgeon (quoted by Whitney)
