Spiritual growth - 27 January 2025

Spiritual growth happens in the same way that physical growth happens. First, the baby is born and then, it slowly grows up to become an adult. Some people reach adulthood sooner than others, who need more time to become mature. The same is true about spiritual growth. To be able to grow physically and spiritually, we all need a certain number of things.

The first requirement for growth is good food. Babies usually thrive on mother’s milk, but as we grow up, we need different kinds of food that will provide the necessary proteins, glucose and vitamins. For spiritual growth, we also need good spiritual food. The best food for growing Christians is the pure Word of God. As our bodies need different kinds of food for optimal growth, so we also need the wide variety of stories in the Bible. Someone who stops eating will eventually die. If we stop reading the Word of God, we will also experience gradual spiritual death.

The second thing nobody can do without is oxygen. If we do not, or cannot breathe, we die within a few minutes. The Holy Spirit is the breath of life for our spiritual growth. The Spirit is the life-giving breath of God. It is absolutely necessary to live close to him every day, otherwise we will not experience spiritual growth and may even die.

The third and last requirement is exercise. From very early on and well into old age, exercise is very beneficial to growth. Many people do not think it is necessary to exercise and we do not need to join a gymnasium. However, without some form of exercise, our bodies will not grow to optimal capacity and will be weak. Look at somebody who has been ill for a long time – their muscles become so weak that they sometimes have to learn how to walk from scratch again. To be spiritually fit, takes some work. The best exercise is to be good to yourself and also to other people.

There is a wonderful year awaiting us, a year to enjoy the Bible, feel the breath of the Holy Spirit in my life and by spiritual exercise, make a difference in the lives of other people.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that this year is full of possibilities for each of us to be growing, so that we can become what you want us to be. Amen