Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth or maturity is the process we go through here on earth to become more Christ-like; more like Jesus.

People can find themselves in one of two camps. Some people have a knowledge about God and think that this is sufficent. However, it is mere intellectual assent with no real experience of God because they have never added faith to their knowledge.

Others have the experience of God and base their growth around experience. If they sense God in a meeting or experience some manifestaion, they think that is the mark of spirituality.

Both these positions do not lend themselves to spiritual growth. As a flame needs oxygen to remain burning and useful, so knowledge about God (the flame), needs the experience of God (the oxygen) to produce growth in our lives. Faith in action is the catalyst that ignites and melds these two positions into a step of spiritual growth.

God causes or allows us to face  times of trials, sufferings and persecutions so as our faith may be tested. Testing brings growth or an exposing of the lack of growth in our lives. How many times have we faced situations, and found that our reactions have shown us that we are not as mature as we thought? This growth is a process and will not be complete in our lifetime.