This morning, a reader reached out to talk about The Six Conversations. He offered one of his favorite questions to ask others, and I’m so excited about it! It’s a perfect question to lead to spiritual conversations in particular. Here’s the question:
“What are you seeking in . . . (life, in a relationship, in a career)? Essentially, it’s both a cognitive and volitional question, but it also involve emotions. What am I seeking in life? What am I seeking in my relationships? What am I seeking in my career?
I love thinking about how I would answer each question. In my life right now, I’m seeking simplicity and joy. In my relationships, I’m seeking authentic connection. In my career, I’m seeking greater effectiveness. What would you ask as a follow-up question to these answers? Imagine the connected conversation that would follow:
Who else do you talk to about living a life of simplicity? (social)
What does “authentic connection” feel like to you? (emotional)
What processes or workspace additions do you put in place to increase your work effectiveness? (physical)
How do you make sense of the lack of joy in people’s lives? (cognitive)
What choices do you make to protect authenticity? (volitional)
How has your relationship with God led to a joyful, more simple life? (spiritual)
I cannot wait to have this kind of conversation. It reminds me so much of how, like the reader points out, Jesus asks questions like these. What do you want? (John 1:38) Who are you looking for? (John 20:15)