As I was growing up, my pastor consistently repeated his favorite Bible verse from the pulpit. Since repetition is the mother of all learning, my pastor was very affective in causing the flock to meditate on the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:58. The verse commands Christians to “always abound” in the work of the Lord. Continual growth should be part of a Christian’s life. Allow me to offer a few areas in which a child of God should be continually growing:
- Emotional Growth
According to Proverbs 16:32b, “he that ruleth his spirit (is better) than he that taketh a city.” To further validate the principle of controlling one’s spirit, Proverbs 25:28 says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” The conclusion is that controlling one’s emotions makes an individual strong whereas not controlling one’s emotions make one vulnerable for attack and destruction.
A child of God should master their emotions and not be mastered by them. Thank the Lord for feelings as we would be rather bland without them. But though feelings are good, life should not be navigated by our feelings. A child of God walks by faith, not by sight or emotions. Sadness, anger, and weariness have their place, but they should be subject to the individual instead of controlling the individual. A child of God should strive to grow in their emotional life.
- Spiritual Growth
According to James 4:8, God’s Word says you should “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” And Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Ask yourself the honest question, “Am I growing in my spiritual life?” God wants to draw nigh to you, and He will fill you, it lies on you to determine to grow in your spiritual walk with Him.
- Relational Growth
Growing in your relationships with others has much more to do with your efforts than it does with the efforts of others. According to Proverbs 18:24, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly.” Do not wait for someone else to say hello, say thank you, smile, wave, or begin a conversation, decide to take the initiative and be the first to reach out. Pray for others, love others, help others, and be kind to others. Grow in your relationships.
- Physical Growth
Life has a way of becoming busier while also forcing one to be less mobile. We sit in front of screens at work and at home, only going outside or standing up when necessary. A few walks, light exercise, and looking at God’s beautiful creation would do everyone good. As life speeds up, be purposeful at slowing down to enjoy the small aspects, such as a picnic, gardening, hiking, bird watching, exploring, or just enjoying a little sun outside.
- Marital Growth
If you were to rank your marital harmony on a scale of one to ten, what would you put down? Now, if you were to ask your spouse to put down their answer, would they agree or disagree with your ranking? This is not to cause an argument, but to help you see there is always room for improvement and growth in your marriage. Make it a challenge to study your spouse. And if you are not married, determine to grow to be the right person for your future spouse.
- Academic Growth
After King Solomon says it’s better to sharpen an axe then use brute strength, he says, “Wisdom is profitable to direct” (Ecclesiastes 10:10). Though you should be willing to work hard, you should also learn to work smarter. There are books people have written about how to succeed on any given area. There are podcasts, audio, lessons, and videos made to teach someone instead of learning by trial and error. You will not live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, so be wise and grow in the needed areas of your life. Proverbs 1:5 teaches that “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning.” Whether you read, hear, watch, or speak to someone, determine to increase in your learning.
It’s been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. If you desire improvement, regardless of the area, then growth is required. You don’t have to plateau or become stagnate in your life; you can decide to grow!