Four Steps to Making Your Spiritual Growth a Reality
In Philippians 3:10 the Apostle Paul wrote,
“I want to know Christ.”
Is this your goal? It’s mine. So how can you know Christ more?
The answer is focus on growing spiritually…putting your spiritual growth into motion…making your spiritual growth a high priority goal in your life. Here is how…
Step 1: Determine your goal: A little later in Philippians 3:12 Paul said, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Take hold of your goal to grow spiritually. Own it. Determine that this is your goal.
Step 2: Describe your goal: What does your spiritual growth look like? What does it feel like? How will you know when you are growing spiritually? How will you know you are achieving your goal?
Step 3: Desire your Goal: How badly do you want to put your spiritual growth into motion? Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14, “…but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…” Paul was a man passionate about his goal of wanting to know Christ. Make his passion your passion.
Step 4: Drive toward your goal: Determine which behavior you can begin engaging in today to start growing spiritually. Take a moment and determine what that behavior is. Maybe it is starting a new behavior such as praying, reading the Bible, going to church, or attending a Bible Study. Maybe it is stopping a behavior which is inhibiting your spiritual growth.
Do you have the behavior in mind? Now write it down on a sticky note, note card, piece of paper, etc. Then put the note in a place where you will see it every day. For some that’s the corner of the bathroom mirror. For others it is on the nightstand. For some it is taped to the steering wheel of the car. The point is to place your behavior in a spot where every day you will see it without effort. Then during the day, each time you see the behavior, ask yourself, have I or will I accomplish this behavior today. Am I going to move toward growing spiritually today?
You will be surprised how this simple little exercise, which takes no time out of your day, will keep you from being distracted from pursuing the spiritual growth you want to accomplish in your life. Some look back after years and years of distraction from their goal of spiritual growth only to realize they have wasted so much time. Don’t let that be you. Stay focused on your spiritual growth. You can do it!
