The Hero’s Journey & Spiritual Life in 12 Stages

Patricia Butler

January 2022

1. ORDINARY WORLD: The hero is introduced sympathetically in his or her Ordinary World. The audience meets the hero at home—warts and all—in his or her natural habitat. We catch a glimpse of what the adventure will cost the hero and what character flaw might sabotage the hero on the adventure. Done well, this stage connects us to the hero. We identify with and experience the story vicariously through him or her.

Our Ordinary World as Christians is broken, under the control of Satan, and in despair. Who are we in this world? How have we been shaped by it? What hope do we have?

2. CALL TO ADVENTURE: Something shakes up the status quo, internally or externally, and change is not always welcome or comfortable. A challenge or threat confronts the hero personally and directly.

When Jesus enters our Ordinary Worlds, he changes the status quo as he calls, “Come, follow me.” This comes with an identity change. How do we think about ourselves? What has Ordinary World called us?

The Hero's Journey, Chuck Tryon, Watercolor

3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL: The hero resists the call, however briefly, and maybe only internally. Fear of failure, inadequacy, or danger, a sense of “Not me!” or “It’s not my job” rise in the hero and must be confronted.

When Jesus called people, he said, “Count the cost.” We may resist Jesus’s call to follow him, as well as other calls he issues throughout our spiritual journeys.

4. MEETING THE MENTOR: a mentor often appears at this stage to strengthen, encourage, and equip the hero for the call. Alternatively, the hero reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom (e.g., Simba in The Lion King).

Human mentors appear in our lives, sometimes through books or podcasts. And the indwelling Holy Spirit, our Wonderful Counselor, mentors us—leading us into all truth and strengthening us for the adventure.

5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD: When the hero commits to the adventure, he or she leaves Ordinary World and crosses the threshold into the special world of the adventure—a new geographical location, a hospital, or internally. Threshold guardians lurk to stop the hero (“What’s the password?”).

In spiritual life, we cross an internal threshold in our hearts when we receive Christ, who then ushers us into the special world of the Father’s kingdom. Who are the threshold guardians waiting for you? How will you outwit them?

6. TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES: Upon entering the Father’s kingdom, the hero is confronted with new challenges. Who’s who? Friend or foe? Culture, language, rules, and values change—even the hero’s identity. Tests begin as the hero navigates these challenges.

On our spiritual journeys, how will we be tested and how will we respond? What is God’s purpose in tests? Who are our allies, threshold guardians, and enemies?

7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE: The hero arrives at the place (symbolized as a cave) where the object of the adventure—the hero’s quest—is located. The cave is hidden, remote, and heavily fortified; it represents the hero’s greatest fear, deepest desire, and a deadly threat. The hero pauses to consider and prepare. Will he or she enter the cave? Survive the cave? In this deeper test of the call, the hero may experience another temptation to refuse.

In our spiritual journeys, the cave of the heart is often the place of our greatest hopes and desires, but also of our greatest fears. What barriers keep us out of our hearts? What treasure is hidden behind our greatest fear? As Jesus prepared for crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane, how might we prepare to enter our caves and survive?

8. ORDEAL: The hero overcomes fear and enters the cave, seeking the prize. In the cave, a pivotal, life-and-death moment confronts the hero. Will he or she falter and fail? Success will demand another death to self. If the hero fails, he or she will forfeit the treasure and be doomed to repeat the adventure.

What will we do in our caves? What treasure lies hidden behind our greatest fears? Jesus’s willingness to go to the cross cost him his life but brought redemption to Ordinary World. His death appeared a failure but conquered sin and death. How will we face our ordeals and succeed in obtaining the treasure? What price are we willing to pay?

9. SEIZING THE SWORD: In a metaphor taken from the Legend of King Arthur, the hero seizes the sword, the object of the quest.

In our caves, our task is to seize the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which requires a death to self. In dying to self, we overcome our greatest fears and emerge transformed, in Holy Spirit power, as Jesus did.

10. ROAD BACK: Now the hero must complete the adventure by returning to Ordinary World with the treasure gained. But enemies don’t easily relinquish their treasures. Another life-and-death moment ensues as the hero attempts to leave. He or she must decisively defeat the enemy or lose the treasure and possibly his or her life.

Jesus rose from the dead and on his road back to heaven, dealt his final blow to the enemy. He appeared to over 500 people, cooking for some, walking with two. He transmitted his final teachings, gave further instructions, and dispelled doubt and despair. What enemies must we decisively defeat for the sake of Ordinary World? How will we guard the sword we seized?

11. RESURRECTION: In another rebirth, the hero succeeds in defeating his or her opponents and emerges victorious. Purged of doubt and despair, the hero now carries the treasure—now an elixir—back to Ordinary World for its healing.

Jesus submitted to the Father and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death for all time. As he had first died to self during his incarnation, he finally died physically for the sake of Ordinary World. We too, after we have died to self, will die for others for Jesus’s sake. As Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR: the transformed hero returns home or continues the journey, forged by the adventures and carrying the elixir, with power to change Ordinary World.

Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father and release the Holy Spirit. He offers forgiveness, wholeness, and healing to all. What elixirs will we bring back from our adventures with Jesus? What elixirs will we bring back from our adventures with Jesus? Among them will be hope. They will form our ministry of reconciliation, to which Christ calls us as he reconciles all things to himself (Colossians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21).