Growth

“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. (II Thessalonians 1:3-4 NIV)

Growth is a part of life.  If a baby isn’t gaining weight, the parents know something is not right.  If a toddler doesn’t progress from crawling into walking, it is an indication something is wrong.  If a child doesn’t show intellectual progress as she proceeds through elementary school, parents and teachers know something is amiss.  Growth is a given in life for babies and children.

The Scriptures often compare our relationship with God to physical development.  Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” (John 3:3).  Peter writes that we should be like newborn babies in seeking spiritual nourishment so we can “grow up in our salvation” (I Peter 2:2).  And Paul writes that our goal as followers of Jesus should be to mature so that “we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV).  Spiritual growth is expected.

The question is, do we see anything wrong when we are not growing? Are we content with remaining in the same spiritual state we reached a year ago?  In my years of ministry, I have seen many people content with their spiritual immaturity.  Aside from attending a weekly meeting, they make no effort to gain spiritual nourishment.  I have met people who have been believers for most of their lives who are, in most respects, still in spiritual infancy.  Something is indeed amiss because, like babies and children, we are to continue to grow spiritually.  

When we examine our lives, we should see a steady growth pattern from the time we first surrendered ourselves to Jesus.  That is the norm. If it is anything different, then something is amiss.  

Today, take a look at your life.  In the past year, what growth do you see?  If there is little to none, then know this is not normal.  Something is wrong and intervention is warranted because God intends for you to keep growing and maturing.

© Jim Musser 2016