Keep Growing in the Lord

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I nearly break out in a sweat when I think of the words, “Clear your desk, take out a blank peace of paper and a pencil; this is a ‘Pop Quiz’!” It was merely a way for a teacher to evaluate my progress on a given subject, but I didn’t like it in the least. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more accustomed to the idea—from tests in schools, to evaluations at work, to physical exams by doctors.

But, how about spiritual growth? That needs to be evaluated as well. The apostle Paul talked about spiritual growth when he wrote to the Christ followers of Corinth: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. “ (1^st Corinthians 13:11)

Infants act like infants, babies act like babies, kids act like kids, etc. That is right and good. The same is true of the spiritual life. There is nothing wrong with acting like a infant when you are an infant, but it isn’t natural to remain one. One of my pastors was fond of saying, “I don’t mind bottle feeding the milk of the Word to infant Christians, but I refuse to part a beard to get the nipple in!” The author of Hebrews agrees: “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” (Hebrews 6:1).

As an infant believer, you may not know how to relate to others or overcome in your battle with jealousy, wrath, or unforgiveness. So stay in the Word, walk and grow in your relationship with Christ. The longer you do, the more you become like Him or as Paul says, you are “conformed to the image of Christ” (see Romans 8:29).

Measure the progress in your spiritual life from time to time. Ask a mature Christian to evaluate your actions: for areas of weakness, things that need improvement, and evidences of growth. And don’t neglect asking God for His evaluation as well. Trust me, it may be painful when He reveals His test scores, but a true Christ follower will never be satisfied with less than a maturing relationship with God.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)