8 signs you're growing spiritually
Are you growing spiritually? Are there signs you need to look out for to ensure you’re growing spiritually?
For us to come into the destiny and purpose designed by God for us, spiritual growth is necessary. But how do we know if we are growing spiritually?
How can we be sure we are becoming like Christ?
Although the bible doesn’t have a checklist for us to monitor the signs of growing spiritually and even in others, the Holy Spirit helps us to connect the scriptures.
Using the life of Jesus as a standard, here are eight signs to look out for when assessing your spiritual growth
A growing ability to obey God’s voice
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."
John 14:21
As we grow spiritually, we desire to obey God’s voice. We all make mistakes, and I know some sins easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1), but deep within if we grow spiritually, our sins will begin to disgust us. You cannot love God and love sin. No matter how enticing it feels at the moment. You’re a new creature in Christ and as you feed your inward man on God’s word, he gets closer to God and desires the things of God. The weight of obedience begins to weigh heavily on you until it becomes natural for you to obey from a place of love and duty.
Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry or react
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
proverbs 29:20
Being able to control your tongue is one of the signs of growing spiritually. When the news of the adulteress was brought to Jesus, he wasn't hasty to pass judgment or respond.
When Satan tempted Him, Jesus wasn’t just quoting scriptures, he'd embodied it. This enabled him to refute Satan’s tactics.
And the CHILD GREW, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
luke 2:40
And Jesus GREW in WISDOM and STATURE, and in favor with God and man.
luke 2:52
If Jesus grew, then WE MUST grow. He went through a process too even as the Firstborn Son.
When we spend time feeding our hearts with God’s word and fellowshipping with God, he will increase our capacity and strength to resist temptation.
He will also heal us from the tendency to get provoked easily.
I’m still a learner of this skill, but I know I am better than I was three years ago.
In the past, it was easy for me to get riled up about certain things or react immediately. But we must be ready to give excuses for people. We must also be willing to mull over decisions before taking a leap
Just like Jesus.
When things happen around us, or someone offends us, God must strengthen us with wisdom and understanding to handle the news with wisdom instead of reacting immediately. We must also be careful with our words because the moment they leave our lips, they cannot be taken back.
Ability to translate your knowledge into practice
Anybody can quote scripture and boast about knowledge, but few are willing to pay the price of obeying Jesus.
I remember stepping out from a beautiful prayer session with God after having a good time in God’s presence.
Moments later, my mum asked me to do something against my introvertish nature. I was tempted to grow upset and resist and the moment my heart grew upset, the Holy Spirit whispered to me:
“This is your true spirituality. Not in your ability to receive 'rhema', but how you're able to live it out.”
Immediately he admonished me, I repented, adjusted my heart, and did the job cheerfully.
True spirituality is when we are able to live out and express Jesus daily, and not in the amount of knowledge we have. Not easy but worth it.
Knowledge is futile and useless if it isn’t transforming us into Christ. -1 Corinthians 13:2
Increased understanding and enlightenment of scriptures
Spiritual growth enlightens God's word and brings it to life. I can testify to this personally because I've seen the word take on a different meaning in my walk with God.
Like magic, the Holy Spirit kept connecting the pieces from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
I started to see the purpose of God littered everywhere! The Bible felt like a map where I could trace God’s will and follow through until I arrived at Christ and finally at my humanity.
God began to open the eyes of my understanding.
God’s ways are past finding out so He MUST reveal himself to us through the help of the Holy Spirit.
And this comes as we obey Him.
Ability to wait on God
Our ability to wait on God for his word and his leading is one of the signs of growing spiritually.
Jesus waited on His Father, same with Paul and the other apostles, Abraham, David, and other Patriarchs in the bible.
Our strength is built in our waiting season. I know it’s not easy, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as Eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not grow faint.
An insatiable appetite for God
As you long for God, you grow insatiable. You cannot say you have arrived in God. Apostle Paul was so insatiable as he went deeper. Even with the abundance of his revelations, he was still pressing into more of God.
He knew His purpose in Christ was yet to be fulfilled. So he didn't glory in past obedience, achievements, miracles, signs, and wonders.
No. He grew hungrier. He pressed on. That's the evidence of growth.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my GOAL, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Philipians 3:12
God looks bigger and you look smaller and insignificant
Humility is one of the major signs of spiritual growth. How do you approach God and His word? How do you approach others? How meek is your heart? Is it real or just a facade?
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and LOWLY in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.-Matthew 11:29
‘For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’-1Corinthians15:9-11
Growing spiritually isn't attractive to the world because you are crucifying your flesh and its boast. If you see anyone boasting about their achievements with God, feeling like he knows all while trying to put others down, or he keeps trying to prove something to people, you can rest assured such a fellow isn’t growing.
Spiritual growth makes us transparent enough to talk about our weaknesses.
Christianity is not about bragging but remembering where we came from and how much mercy was shown to us.
Jesus was high yet he brought himself low to answer the questions of the Pharisees even when he knew their hearts.
"Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone."
Mark 10:18
I observed this pattern in me as I drew closer to God. How can God love a mortal like me?
What is my obedience in places where Jesus is concerned?
God is so pure and beautiful.
The deeper you go, God reveals more of himself to you in astonishing ways
You tremble at his word and fear Him-Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 61:2
I now know why Prophet Isaiah cursed himself the moment he saw God’s train fill the temple. -Isaiah 6:1
You cannot get a glimpse of God and think you’ve arrived.
You forgive and let go easily
This is one of the signs you're growing spiritually. We are able to express the love of Christ and extend forgiveness to those who hurt us.
How can we become like Christ if we can’t even forgive our fellow men? Jesus forgave the men who nailed Him to the cross.
He even died for them.
So if you’re finding it hard to forgive or let go of things, ask God for help to make you grow. I know this isn’t easy, but you were forgiven too.
There are so many ways to measure spiritual growth, but I hope these suffice for now.
God wants his children to grow. The same way we place a premium on physical growth is the same way God does on spiritual growth.
Perhaps if you falter, ask God to help you. For he is ever willing to see you blooming so you can bear Him fruits.
Bloom with Love. Xx!
P.S Would you like to grow spiritually? Here’s a free spiritual growth guide to help you in your walk with God.
Click HERE to download
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