Our Real Growth

When someone comes to know Christ and accept Him as their personal Savior, there should be a desire to grow in their faith. Growing in faith, we are told comes by hearing of the word. Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." As we begin to hear God's word, our hearts are moved to a closer relationship with Him. It is then we experience the true power of His presence. As we read God's word, we are able to gain greater understanding of what His will is for us. Once we gain knowledge of what is pleasing to God, our next step is to make a commitment to Him and ourselves of complete obedience to His word. Well then, since I have spelled it all out for us, we should all be able to be God-pleasing Christians now.

So let's all get up early, read God's word, pray and begin our day of complete obedience. If you are anything like me, I read His wonderful truths and embrace them. However, it is when I face the things in life and try to relate to others that I slip in my efforts to walk in obedience. For instance, in the book of Proverbs we are told to overlook an insult - however how many of us immediately grasp to find our own degrading rebuttle. Proverbs 12:16 "Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult." In Colossians 4:6  "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."  My words aren't always spoken with grace.  Sometimes I open my big mouth - only to step away from a conversation wishing I could take back the words just spoken.  We are also called to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding - that's a tough one. Proverbs 3:5   How about in the book of Matthew, we are told to love our enemies. Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." What about James 1:19 "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." We read God's word and gain understanding, however it is when we walk out our front door and begin the day all our spiritual inputting gets put to the test. Our real growth doesn't happen when we are reading God's word and feeling all spiritual. Unfortunately or fortunately, our real growth takes place when we are humbled by our disobedience.  It is then we really grow in our walk with the Lord. It is these circumstances that teach us the greatest lessons of Biblical truth.

In summary, we can all remember times when we  have been disobedient.  Our disobedience can be from lack of knowledge of God's word and what He desires from us, accidentally slipping up while trying to make our way through this life or just blatantly choosing our own way and not His.   None of us like to fail and I personally hate to fail when it comes to the Lord, who gave up His life for me.  Although there are consequences that come with the failures, the beautiful thing is God takes them and makes something wonderful.  He can create the most magnificent masterpiece from our mistakes - if we will allow Him.  It is during these times, my growth has been the greatest.  It is then, I say I will never go back to who I was, I will not make that mistake again and I will follow His truths and use this moment of growth for His glory.