MESSAGES OF FAITH: It takes time and effort to grow and change

Under the general heading of spiritual renewal, I would like to address the issue of spiritual growth.

In their book, “How People Grow,” Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend rightly contend that all personal growth is spiritual growth.

It makes a lot of sense when we consider that the one thing that inhibits and stifles the growth of a human being is sin. That includes both the sin done to us by others, as well as our own sin.

By sin I mean the choices we make that are apart from and in conflict with the righteousness and character of God.

Righteousness is being in right relationship with God and with others. Jesus said It this way, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

Growth and maturity are completely dependent upon being, and staying, in right relationship with God and others. Sin damages us, creating stumbling blocks that deter us from becoming what God desires us to be. Growth, then, becomes a spiritual process of overcoming the damaging effects of sin in our lives.

Please understand that I’m not speaking here about the forgiveness of sin we receive by God’s grace through faith and trust in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus. I’m talking about the ongoing consequences and havoc that sin has brought into our lives, causing hurt and pain on a daily basis. Even eternally forgiven sin can have recurring temporal repercussions as we strive to grow out of its influence upon our lives. Thus all growth is spiritual growth.

Spiritual growth is not something we can do on our own. It takes a safe environment in which we can feel unthreatened enough to examine our unhealthy attitudes and behaviors, and explore their possible sources.

We need the accepting support and encouragement of others, who themselves are on the same life journey of enlightenment and spiritual growth as we are.

We need to know the truth of how things really are, and how we fit in this world as God has created it, which comes through a thorough understanding of God’s word as found in the Bible.

We need the power of God working in and through our weakness.

We must see and learn to emulate the perfect example of his son, Jesus, who lived as one of us, and showed us the way to live as God intended.

We must not minimize the assistance which the Holy Spirit brings as he moves and works among us.

It’s also very important for us to remember that it takes time and effort to grow and change. Nothing happens overnight. It took God a whole week to create the universe — and we’re not God!

We all have a lot of growing to do, because we’ve all been damaged by sin.

It’s best we tap into all the spiritual resources at our disposal to move closer to being the person God always intended us to be.

It’s never too late to get started. Begin by acknowledging how far you have missed the mark, by turning away from your rebellious attitude toward God, and by accepting his path back into relationship, through faith and baptism into Jesus.

Find that safe place and those safe people who will come alongside you and help you as you move forward in spiritual growth.