The Importance of Spiritual Growth in a Christian's Life

I see a lot of people who dabble in Christianity only to lose interest. Or they consistently spend an hour a week in church on Sunday but remain halfhearted in implementing lessons throughout their lives. They have steady church attendance but never grow spiritually, so they never experience the transformative power of God’s Word over areas of their life.

The problem is they are reducing Christianity to an empty religious exercise that accomplishes nothing. 

This is a safe, middle-of-the-road religion that doesn’t inconvenience the person, cost them too much time, or anything else. It’s simply an add-on to their life. But it doesn’t control and permeate their lives or control their decision-making; that is, it doesn’t transform them—it’s a halfhearted, lukewarm Christianity that yields very little to no spiritual fruit. 

The Word of God is a seed in us. And spiritual growth is not automatic. We have to nurture that seed—only then will it grow and expand our capacity to receive from God and bear spiritual fruit so we are useful to Christ. With that, there is no such thing as a static Christian life—we are either growing or regressing. But we are not staying the same. So if we are not growing spiritually, then we are wasting away so that we ultimately end up with what James describes as dead faith—we are useless Christians for all practical purposes. 

That said, I’m seeing people who say one thing but do another. 

If someone is overweight and out of shape and insists that he wants to transform his body and health, but instead of working out and improving his diet, from time to time, he occasionally reads a book by a fitness guru about how to transform his body. Still, with work, his family, problems, and hobbies, he just can’t find the time to go to the gym so he can apply it. On top of that, he’s not willing to exercise the discipline required to make food choices. Then I don’t care how much he says that he wants to transform his body and improve his health—if he’s not willing to walk the walk by investing the time and effort it takes for that change, then he doesn’t want it. He might say he wants it, but his actions betray his true feelings. 

He can’t have it both ways.

To put in such a halfhearted effort while expecting a radical transformation in his health and body would be delusional. 

But that is precisely what a lot of people do when it comes to their spiritual life. 

The Word of God, however, should control every aspect of our lives—all our decision-making. When the comprehensive Word of God controls every area of our lives, it affects our home, family, community, and so on. All of our relationships are touched, and we become a blessing in the lives of others, so they, in turn, do the same, and so on. God’s Word becomes as practical to everyday life as a car or shoes, as it should be. 

To be sure, this doesn’t happen overnight. There is no shortage of struggles along the way, but we grow spiritually in much the same way an infant grows into a child, then an adolescent, and then into an adult. But our growth can be stunted and thwarted altogether if we aren’t careful. God is real. Don’t leave him at church on Sunday. Apply on Monday what you say ‘Amen’ to on Sunday. That’s the point. 

Attending church is certainly a big part of the Christian life, but it doesn’t end there. It starts with an emphasis on a daily investment in cultivating a relationship with God. And like any relationship, it requires a time commitment. Over time, we will unlock the transformative power of God. God will not be reduced to “religion” or church but will be very real to you – to the point that it will revolutionize your life. 

I’m not better than anyone else. In fact, I’m probably worse than most, so I know how badly I need to walk in the spirit because when I walk in the flesh, it is not good. Some people have one vice—I had them all. So, I want to ensure that when I respond to something as trivial as an unkind word from someone or to a more serious health crisis, I use the Word of God in my decision-making. The same goes for my finances, relationships, and every wrinkle of life. 

This is certainly a challenge, and I fall short a lot. But I keep learning and growing in my knowledge. I pray and meditate on the Word. So when negative feelings start to crop up, I place my focus on the truth, on the Word—not on my feelings. Feelings can change and lie to you. But God’s Word stays the same. 

What we focus on controls our thoughts, so make it a point to focus on the Word of God daily. 

Let me be clear about something. I’m not talking about earning your way into Heaven or anything like that. If you believe in Christ for eternal life, you are going to heaven even if you don't live by God's standards here on Earth. You cannot lose that. 

However, I am talking about a diligent pursuit and daily application of God’s Word to grow spiritually because that will not happen through osmosis but only through a concentrated effort – little by little, day by day. This allows us to be useful Christians. 

Through that effort, mental and emotional strongholds that have had you enslaved for decades will effortlessly be defeated—things that you could never imagine having victory over, you will slay. It’s not only about stealing, murder, and adultery. There is fear, discouragement, bitterness, and unresolved anger. There is greed, envy, discontentment, addictions, disappointment, and so on. Use the Word to combat these issues. 

You will never lose anything when you live by God's standards. Anything you give up, God will replace with something 100 times better.