5 Things You Can Do To Grow Spiritually

Do you feel like your spiritual life is stagnant? Would you like to grow spiritually?

You look at other people and wish you knew your Bible as well as they do.  Their faith seems strong compared to yours.

You’d like to be where they are but don’t know how to get there.

If you’re like me, you are impatient and want to be “up there” already! Truth is, any kind of growth doesn’t happen overnight and not without effort.

While you can’t make yourself grow, there are things you can do to help yourself progress spiritually.

1. Put yourself in the right environment for growing – as far as possible.

Check your environment.  Are your friends helping you upward or downward?  Spend less time with those who draw you away from God and more time with people who will help you grow.

How much time do you spend on social media? What are you viewing on it?  What you feed your mind will affect your growth.

Is your music helping you grow spiritually or is it pulling you away from God?

“Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”

  1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

(Whether it’s music, social media, movies, or friends)

Is your work environment bad? You may not be able to change it, but you can change how much you get involved in what goes on around you.  You can control your thoughts.  Do your best and ask God to protect you.

2. Practice the spiritual disciplines – Bible study and prayer.

You won’t grow if you don’t habitually spend time with God. To grow spiritually you must “eat” healthy food. Besides listening to sermons or reading books, study the Bible for yourself. Christian movies may not be bad but they are not the best for growth.  Candy floss tastes good but it won’t make you grow.

Make sure that what you study is relevant to your life. If you’re a mother, study what the Bible says about parenting, discipline, love. If you are a businessman, study what the Bible says about being honest, faithful, and diligent in business.

Digest what you study by meditating on it, applying it to your life, and practicing it.

Work on making time with God a habit. Do it every day.

Related: 6 Things to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Praying

3. Pull the weeds – get rid of the stuff that is hindering your growth.

Are you harbouring or cherishing sin in your life? (Even one sin cherished can neutralize all the power of the gospel.)

Are you violating your conscience by doing things you know you shouldn’t?

Are you holding unforgiveness, resentment or bitterness in your heart?

4. Practice the truth you do know – live in the light that you do have.

Be obedient to what God has revealed to you.  He won’t show you more if you are not practicing what He has already shown you.

Exercise the little bit of faith you do have.  Just like a muscle, it strengthens with exercise.  Don’t be like the man who buried his one talent and his master took it away from him.  Use it or lose it!

5. Be patient – growing takes time.

Just as a plant takes time to grow, so does the spiritual life.  Be faithful in feeding and watering the plant and it will grow.

Growth isn’t all about what’s happening above ground.  Plants need strong roots before they can flourish.  Establish good strong roots. Avoid comparing yourself with others because what you see is not necessarily genuine spirituality.

Growing things takes careful nurturing, consistent attention, and faithful performance of little duties.

Instead of being discouraged by your lack of growth, do your part and rejoice in the fact that God will grow you.

Sooner than you think you will look back and say, “Wow, look how I’ve grown!”

Related: 4 Ways to Grow as a Christian

Are you doing these things to help yourself grow?