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Spiritual Growth

Writer's picture: Angie ReeseAngie Reese

Every once in a while my husband will send me a picture from way back on his phone. It is usually a particularly sweet one of our girl’s faces smiling up at the camera. Sometimes it is one of those moments that you stop and take a picture of the mess (or mess up) before cleaning up and helping. Those make me chuckle to myself as I remember the moments. My girls have grown up so much, it seems, in the last little while that those memories and pictures shine a huge contrast on it. We fondly remember them being babies, but get to a point where we are glad we aren’t breastfeeding or bottle feeding anymore. We are certainly glad to not be getting up in the middle of the night. I know I have enjoyed watching them interact with others and realize that they have so much turned into people and not just little extensions of me and my husband. Each phase of raising kiddos has its hardships, but there are precious moments spread throughout. 


Now for the Bible analogy. Just as our children grow and change as people, we grow and change as Christians. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 3:2 we read that “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,” in reference to “infants in Christ”. The verse goes on to explain that being an infant in Christ means that you are living more fleshly and less spiritually. What’s different about watching people grow in maturity and people grow spiritually is that the latter is not about age as much. I have met some people that never really grew past a point in their spiritual walk. On the flip side, I have met some very young Christiasn that were so hungry and thirsty for the word that they grew at an almost alarming rate spiritually. So how do we grow as Christians? And what do you do when you notice that you stop growing? 


I don’t profess to know all the answers, but I do have a few thoughts on spiritual growth. I think that the answer to both of those questions is in the same place. 


The main way that we grow as Christians is that we are in His word. Sometimes I get tired of hear that (and saying it), but it is the truth. Knowing God is knowing His word. He speaks to us through it and we learn all of the valuable lessons He wants us to know through reading it. We learn about Him and His nature through it. 


Another way to grow spiritually is to interact with other Christians. Have conversations about what God is doing in their life and what they are learning about right now. This can be at church, small groups, MOPS meetings, coffee with a few close friends, or an accountability group. There are lots of ways to interact with other Christians, but in order to grow spiritually in this way we have to be intentional about it. We can’t just get together and complain about how our husband is leaving his socks and underwear on the floor and call that time with other Christians. It needs to be intentionally discussing kingdom things. 


A third way we can grow spiritually is by reading books about different Bible topics. Be careful as you choose books to read and have discernment about what you are reading. Some well-meaning authors can misinterpret what God is saying and we then take it for truth. It all needs to correlate back to the Bible and the absolute truth of God’s word. 


Sisters, spiritual growth is so important. We don’t want to live on the milk of the word. That verse in 1 Corinthians is not a complement. Living in the flesh and focusing on worldly things makes us lose some of the delight that we find when we are growing in His word. None of this has to be a big hard thing. It can be as simple as reading a verse or two or a chapter of the Bible a day. If you are having a hard time carving out time for his word - out of practice or working on your time management - then start small. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. Spiritual growth isn’t an all or nothing type thing. It can even be texting a group of friends and asking them to share what God is doing. Start the conversation. Pick up the Bible. Do it today and get back to growing in the love and beauty of God’s lovely word. And along the way there will be struggles and setbacks - just like raising kids. But there will be lovely things - treasures even - that God places in your life because of your efforts. 


Father in heaven, forgive us when we don’t prioritize you. Help us find time for you and your word. Give us other people in our lives to discuss you with. Let us form a beautiful community of believers that are encouraging each other to dive into the meat of your word so we can know you better. Amen.



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