Day 23 (17 Mar 2020) – How we grow
1) Ephesians 4:15 (MSG); 2) Ephesians 4:14 (Phillips)
1) God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. 2) We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chance wind of teaching and the jockeying of men who are expert in the craft presentation of lies.
God wants us to grow in spiritual maturity. Yes to grow in our knowledge and understanding of Christ but also to actually become more Christlike…..to think like He did, to act like He did, to copy who He was. So how do we practically do that?
We start by making a commitment. By being intentional. We have to want to change and be prepared to keep working towards that, year in and year out. We can expect our growth to be somewhat seasonal with times of good steady progress (often during the challenges in our lives!) and times of slower change but if we remain committed, the trajectory is upwards!
The second step in spiritual growth is to start changing the way we think. As Rick Warren explains in What On Earth Am I Here For, “Change starts first in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel and the way you feel influences the way you act.” We need to let God transform and renew our thinking (Rom 12:2) so that our attitudes and actions will follow. Our thinking needs to be like that of Christ….focused on others and not on ourselves. Thinking of others first is unnatural but we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us!
Lord, please stir in us the desire to grow in spiritual maturity. Show me an area where I need to stop thinking my way and start to see things your way. Help me to become more Christlike each day, in my thoughts, actions and attitudes. Amen
Written by Jocelyn Petschack
Good thoughts Jocelyn, particularly in our present climate where it seems it’s everyone out for themselves – kill or be killed . But when we commit to Gods way our focus changes from me to Him from us to others .
Growth is Christ is not an optional extra – it is essential – love your thoughts Joc!!!
I love your thoughts Joc. Where we currently live in a climate that almost is changing by the minute, there is one who we can completely rely on – Jesus! Let’s choose to follow Him and desire to become more Christ-like, and not get absorbed in the world.