The Secret to Spiritual Growth

“Christianity has not so much been tried and found wanting, as it has been found difficult and left untried.” - G.K. Chesterton

Almost every worthwhile endeavor faces this reality.

As a former competitive gymnast, I remember the daily strenuous practice sessions. Gritty conditioning proved necessary in order to make not-so-simple routines look perfect and effortless. Progress on the balance beam and growth on the parallel bars required intense dedication and relentless persistence. Discipline remained a non-negotiable. What appeared to be easy to the spectators was actually painfully developed and refined when others weren’t looking.

Discipline is defined as the “training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.” Almost nothing significant in life is accomplished apart from discipline. Why then do many of us expect spiritual growth to be any different?

As with athletics, we are encouraged in 1 Timothy 4:8,15: “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come…for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Paul encourages young Timothy to practice godliness with diligence. He knew Timothy’s life depended on it, not for eternal security and salvation, but for present joy and peace. Diligence yielded godliness in Timothy so that he might fulfill God’s call on his life and bear much fruit. 

And friend, the same is true for us. God wants us to grow in our faith and has given us divine power to live fully devoted to him through the knowledge of Jesus. As we run the race with endurance and dependence, he promises the outcome, but we must put forth the effort.

“Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 

Does your walk with Jesus feel aimless or stagnant?

It’s exhausting and unproductive to run aimlessly, but many of us do just that. It feels like we are running uphill on a broken treadmill with spiritual bare feet. Or worse, our treadmill is not being used at all. It has become nothing more than an expensive clothes hanger in the basement of our hearts, rarely utilized for the training in which it was designed. 

Many of us believe in Jesus. And some of us believe that he saved us from our sins. But very few of us have escaped the power our sins have over us on a daily basis. Perhaps the problem is that we don’t know how to live out our confession of faith. We believe Jesus for our eternal salvation, but we fail to trust him with our everyday lives. 

Maybe you can relate. 

Spiritual growth is possible with the help of the Lord and the methods he prescribed and modeled for us. God doesn’t leave us wandering aimlessly. His divine strategy for fruit-bearing growth is called spiritual discipline. In part one of this blog series, we will discuss two of the primary spiritual disciplines that involve active, consistent engagement and lead to abundant spiritual growth.

The Discipline of Study

The study of God’s Word remains central to our spiritual growth. In order to hear God speak, understand his heart, and discern his will, we must meet him in the pages of his Word. God’s Word is the place he has chosen to reveal himself to us. The Holy Spirit uses the language of Scripture to speak life into our souls. We must know it to hear from God.

The goal of Bible study is to know God. There will be times when you read Scripture and feel minimal application to your present situation. Endless genealogies and tedious details of the law might seem meaningless to your daily struggles. The biggest problem is that we often read scripture with the wrong interpretive lens. The biblical story isn’t primarily about us—it’s about Christ. He is revealed in every detail of both the Old and New Testament. When we read with the intent to see Jesus manifest, we grow in knowledge and awe of his glory and grace. 

We will never be transformed while reading the Bible as merely a self-help manual, but as a God-glorifying, Christ-magnifying reflection of God’s heart toward his creation.

The story of Scripture is a beautiful narrative that reveals the character and nature of God. His glory manifests in the story of redemption through the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we see God exalted, we will become overwhelmed by his presence, power, and unfathomable love. And we will be changed. 

God’s Word not only transforms and repurposes our lives, it sustains us. It will not return empty. As we seek God in Scripture, we will be fed spiritually. Jesus said that man is not meant to live on physical bread alone, but on every word of God (Matthew 4:4). We need the Scriptures to live and grow strong.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” - 2 Timonthy 3:16 

Scripture is not only our spiritual provision, but our spiritual protection. The Word of God stands as our defense against the lies of the enemy. Jesus refuted Satan with Scripture, and it effectively caused him to cease (Matthew 4:10). 

We won’t be able to discern the lies if we don't know the truth. We will have minimal power to resist temptation without the most effective offensive tool, the sword of Scripture. God’s Word is our strength and our shield.

How do we begin reading the Bible?

If you have never read through the Bible, start in the book of John. Read one chapter everyday. It’s important to understand the context of what you read, so use a study Bible if possible.

Numerous reading plans exist to guide you. I recommend the Read Scripture App. It provides short, summarizing videos that will help you understand each book before reading it. 

Your time in God’s Word doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be consistent. If you fall behind, don’t give up. God promises to bring fruit from the time we commit to seeking him. Prioritize Bible study. Time in God’s Word is (or will become) one of the most important parts of your day.

The Discipline of Prayer

The disciples of Jesus followed, observed, and participated in his ministry work for three years. They witnessed countless miracles, astonishing healings, and mind-boggling parables. Surprisingly, they didn’t ask Jesus to teach them how to perform impressive miracles or give applause-worthy messages, but rather how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). 

The disciples saw the passion and power in Jesus’ prayers to the Father. They were not rote, trite, or pretentious as were the prayers of the religious leaders. They were intimate, raw, and real. He prayed as if his Father was listening with both compassion and generosity.

Prayer is conversation with God, our Father. Although he already knows what our struggles are, he desires an intimate relationship with us. Like our earthly spouse, he wants to hear from us—He wants us to interact with him. He wants our inner hearts, not a pretend or polished version of the outside. The purpose of prayer is not to coerce or manipulate God to work on our behalf, but for him to transform our hearts so we are aligned with his will.

Prayer is powerful. Not only does it often change the situation, but it also alters the way in which the situation is seen and understood. Prayer might not always change our circumstances, but prayer will always change us. It often resets our gaze and softens our hearts. Prayer reminds us of all that’s true of God in both who he is and what he does. 

All aspects of prayer change and free us. When we confess, we bring sin into the light, where it has less power, and the process of healing begins. When we offer thanksgiving, we shift our minds from worry and fear to faith and peace. When we pray in the worship and praise, we participate in the very purpose with which we were created—to glorify him. When we appeal to God with our requests, we reveal our trust in his provision, sufficiency, and love over our lives.

How should we pray?

Paul exhorts us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16). This verse obviously doesn’t mean we need to be on our knees every moment of our lives, but that prayer should be top of mind, and the first outlet for our fears. If you find yourself forgetting to pray, you need to create new habits through rhythms and routines.

Here are a few practical ideas you can do to help on a daily basis: Set a short timer when you pray—it will help you focus on communion with Him. Pray when you rise in the morning, before you check your phone. Pray at night before bed. Pray in the car on your commute, the school pick-up line, and while folding the laundry. Pray Scripture as you read the Word. If you make the effort, you will quickly find yourself in regular conversation with the Father.

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:11

Spiritual disciplines require work and intentional effort. But like a disciplined gymnast who painfully toils alone in the gym for years before winning a championship, we will find that our focus and effort is eventually rewarded. And regardless of the outcome, we will experience unfading joy, deep internal peace, purpose beyond understanding, and a closer relationship with our Savior. 

Consider the spiritual discipline of study through Bible reading and the discipline of prayer. Where do you need to grow? What would the next step of obedience look like? We’re all in progress. And we’re all in need of grace. Rest easy and work hard. It’s always worth it.

P.S. This post is one of a 2-part series! Read The Secret to Spiritual Growth - Part 2 here!