3 Keys for Spiritual Growth

by Brad Spangler

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).” What a wonderful testimony to have! The Apostle Paul experienced a remarkable transformation on the road to Damascus, yet he continued to grow throughout his life. This transformation and spiritual growth enabled him to remain faithful to his calling. With that said, each of us will also need to go through our process of spiritual growth for us to run our race well. As a short definition, we will define spiritual growth as becoming more like Jesus. In this article, I aim to give you three keys that you can begin to implement today for your growth process. So let’s dive in and take a look!

Reflection

Regarding our spiritual development, we must locate ourselves by taking the time to reflect. We need to pause and ask ourselves hard questions. Questions such as, “What stumbling blocks are in my life? Who must I become to fulfill what God has called me to do?” When you identify an area that needs improvement, you can ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and grace to help you develop. To be completely transparent, growing in patience is essential for me to improve my love walk. I desire to become a more patient and loving follower of Jesus.

Meditation

When a healthy baby is born, it comes from the womb whole and complete. Likewise, we are instantly made whole and complete with our spiritual birth in Christ. This means that faith, healing, love, patience, and anything else we need to live victoriously in this life are already within our spirit. We then need to go through a process of developing just like a baby grows and develops naturally. This is why Paul told the church in Galatia he desired that Christ would be formed in them (Gal. 4:19). Meditation is an important component to help us begin seeing this type of formation. Meditation means to simply think about, imagine, or speak God’s Word aloud. I have found it tremendously helpful in my spiritual growth journey. Let’s use the example of improving my love walk by growing in patience. Below is a short confession that can be meditated on daily. 

I thank you, Lord, that because your love is in my heart, I am patient and kind; I do not envy; I do not parade myself; I am not puffed up; I do not behave rudely; I do not seek my own, I am not easily provoked, I think no evil; do not rejoice in iniquity, I only rejoice in the truth; I can bear all things, I believe all things, hope all things and endure all things. By the grace of God, I will never fail.

Live in the Community

While spiritual growth takes personal responsibility, I do not believe that we can reach our full potential without the help of others. We were created to live life and grow in a community. Proverbs 27:17a NKJV says that “Iron sharpens iron.” We must be intentional about who we choose to surround ourselves with inside and outside the local church. We all need people who will challenge us, love us, hold us accountable, pray for us, and even mourn during the most challenging times. We must actively pursue those who have gone before us, lock arms with those beside us, and reach back for those behind us.

While this may not be an exhaustive list, I believe these three things are essential for anyone’s spiritual growth. I hope that you have been inspired to take action. Remember, the Greater One lives in you, so you have what it takes! If you believe it’s possible, put your faith into action and grow into your future.