What does spiritual growth look like.
It looks like loving my enemy, neighbors and those who caused me pain. It’s finding a place in my heart where I honestly want God to bless them and rejoice when they prosper.
It looks like loving people where they are at. Loving people when they don’t meet my expectations and when they levy accusations against me. It’s being the voice of God and calling people up to Christ when they don’t want to hear what I have to say. Even when my voice causes them to rebel. Personal growth can hurt and people will attribute that pain to your words. It’s also learning how to communicate so that people can better here what the Holy Spirit is leading me to say
It looks like being Gods glory here on earth. That means being honored that God is using me. Even if the situation is painful or not comfortable, being truly honored and recognizing His will is more worthy than being comfortable. Glorifying Him with my actions, words and decisions. Being an example that walking with Christ is joyful beyond earthy joys.
It looks like showing people Christ in my actions and words. That means not losing my cool when the worst happens. Choosing joy in all situations and encouraging those who need it even if I am at a low.
It’s living in community with people I wouldn’t chose to live with. Living with believers and choosing to exalt Christ over our quarrels. It’s dying to who society, previous community and past experiences have made me and how those things have made me react so I can react with the love of Jesus Christ. It’s not holding a record of wrongs in my heart knowing that the wrongs may happen again and being ok with that… Trusting God that He will guide me through the worst and bringing glory to Him during the worst.
For me spiritual growth has been reprogramming myself to think like Christ would think, cross examining my life with the word and finding my shortcomings and then not standing in a state of conviction but actually practicing how God wants us to love. Knowing and believing that who God has made me to be is enough. Having the same faith in His control of my life as I do that He is a God that heals. That is the cross I am carrying everyday. I have not achieved these things but Lord willing I will grow more in these areas. Thank You so much for your prayers in these areas of my life.
We are in Nepal this month and are starting ministry today “August 5th”. I don’t know what the ministry here will look like yet but I am excited to serve.
