Journey into Lightl

Spiritual growth is a mystery because it is a miracle that only God causes and understands. Yet, God provides us with guidance in how we can cooperate with him in the process.

I admit I am a fanatic when it comes to spiritual growth. Even as a baby Christian, I had it drilled into my head that to grow spiritually was the most important goal I could have in life.

And, for the most part, I have pursued spiritual growth as my number one priority throughout the ups and downs of the last 44 years.

I even went to seminary to find better ways to grow spiritually and to help others. I learned that the church today is often weak in providing the help people need to grow spiritually. This breaks my heart, for spiritual growth is so important for this life and the next.

There is no way I could present a thorough treatment of the mysterious process of spiritual growth in this posting. However, I will offer a few thoughts that I think are important.

What Could Be

First, we need a vision for what it would be like to grow spiritually. We would realize that what God wants is a love relationship with us. It’s not a Master/Slave relationship but a warm, fatherly, and brotherly relationship with the Trinity.

We would also realize that we have not only gained salvation, but also a new identity of being loved, accepted and respected no matter what. This sounds too good to be true, but it is true (Isaiah 43:4; 1 John 3:1, Hebrews 10:14).

But we need to grow into living in this reality. It does not just happen because we hear it in a sermon or find it in the Bible.

We would accept the fact that spiritual growth is foremost of the heart- it is not just knowing the Bible or behaving better. It is also allowing God to change our motives and what we depend on to make life work.

How to Get There

So, how do we grow spiritually?

First off, we need to remember that it’s God who grows us spiritually. We don’t grow ourselves through church attendance, Bible studies, and doing ministries in the church (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). God will use our church attendance, Bible studies and ministries, but without his efforts, we will not grow.

Secondly, God uses our Bible knowledge to change us. “Long for the pure milk of the Word that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

Especially, as we apply it to our lives. “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

And memorize and meditate on it (Joshua 1:8).

Thirdly, we need to practice spiritual disciplines like quiet times, going to church, and Sabbath-rests. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” (Matthew 11:29). That yoke includes practicing spiritual disciplines that he leads and empowers us to do.

God expects us to do our part in growing spiritually. Living in grace does not excuse us from “working out our salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)

And fourthly, we need to connect to people. God uses pastors, mentors, disciplers, and small group members to help us experience him loving and helping us. “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16, NLT).

Finally, we need to be identifying and putting off our old ways of seeing and doing life. For example, even to this day, I tend to see life as a half empty jar.

But God sees life as a half full jar. And he wants us to see it that way too. He wants us to put on this new way of seeing life. “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8).

We can only change our thinking by depending on the Holy Spirit to help us (Ephesians 4:22-24).

So, what’s it going to be for us? Are we motivated to grow spiritually? Do we have confidence in what God promises in his Bible that he will grow us to maturity as we cooperate (Philippians 1:6)?

Let’s choose to cooperate with him and let him grow us spiritually!