Five Steps Toward Spiritual Growth
By David Faust
A little boy fell out of bed. When his mother asked what happened, he said, “I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.” Sometimes Christians do that, too. Instead of maturing, they stay spiritually stagnant and stuck. Someone quipped, “You’re only young once, but it’s possible to stay immature indefinitely!”
Here are five disciplines the Lord uses to help us grow.
1. We grow by stretching. The body of Christ needs to stretch, just like our physical bodies. After we sit for a while, it’s good to stretch our limbs, and the same is true with our faith. Our relationship with God deepens when we tackle new challenges, increase our giving, and step outside our comfort zones.
2. We grow by studying. “By this time you ought to be teachers” (Hebrews 5:12), but to lead others well, we must be lifelong learners ourselves, studying the Bible to understand the mind of God and studying culture to understand our ministry environment. Every Christian should be a student and have a student. Whether you’re a brand-new believer or you’ve been following Jesus for 40 years, you can learn from those ahead of you and help others who follow you.
3. We grow by serving—getting our hands dirty and helping people. There comes a time when members of the family shouldn’t just sit back and enjoy eating the meal; we should help cook the food and wash the dishes afterward. The same is true in the church. If you enjoy being part of a small group, when will you host or lead a group? If you drop your kids off at church and let someone else take care of them, when will you dive in and volunteer with the kids’ ministry yourself? Give, and you receive. Serve, and your faith will grow.
4. We grow by struggling. Everyone wants to reach the mountaintop, but have you ever been on top of a mountain? Not a lot grows up there! Mountaintops provide perspective and vision, but they can be cold and barren. Thingsgrow betterdown in the valley’s fertile soil. Before turning into a butterfly, a caterpillar struggles to emerge from its cocoon. If you step in and open the cocoon prematurely, you’re not doing the caterpillar a favor. The struggle within a cocoon forces fluid into the butterfly’s wings. We grow more from facing adversity than from enjoying prosperity. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
5. We grow by sacrificing. Selfishness is a mark of immaturity. God’s love leads us to lay down our lives for others. Remember when you were a child and your parents taught you to share? Hebrews 13:16 says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
Some men in my church were discussing the question, “What was the first thing you were taught when you became a Christian?” One answered, “I learned to pray.” Someone else responded, “I memorized the books of the Bible in order.” A new believer replied, “I learned that we should love others as Jesus did.”
“Knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). That’s a lesson we should never outgrow.
Personal Challenge: Name one area of your life in which you have experienced spiritual growth over the last year. What spurred you to grow in this way? Name one area of your life where you remain immature. What step will you take to grow more like Christ in this area?
Author: Christian Standard
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