Are You Growing In God?

How long has it been since you looked at your baby pictures? You may say, “Wow, it’s hard to believe how much I’ve changed over the years!  So have you grown? “Yes.” Each of us have grown bigger, taller, smarter, stronger, more intelligent and hopefully wiser and yes Better looking too! But what about in your walk with God? Can you say that you’re closer to Him today than you were ten years ago?

Why do some grow in their faith with God and others seem to lose ground? It’s easy to blame others and other things for our lack of growth in God. “Well Danny, if it hadn’t been for my going through a divorce, bankruptcy, cancer, or my kid on drugs.” It’s easy to look at the negative things that have happened; but what about looking for the good, the gold and the glory. God won't waste anything in your life.

God says, “He can bring good out of our pain.” Joseph said to his brother, “What you meant for evil, God meant it for good.” (Ex 50:20) Here are a few checkups to consider as you continue your journey with God. Why not:

Examine your Hunger for God Are you moving ahead regardless of your adversity?

Examine your Worship to Him every day, not just on Sundays!

Examine your Fellowship with believers.  Are you in a small group growing?

Examine your Serving God at Church. Are you using the gifts He gave you?

Examine your Attitude.  Are you still smiling in the midst of your struggle?

Examine your Faith.  Are you still pressing even when all Hell is coming at you?

Examine Loving your Spouse.  Do you press when your emotions are in the tank?

Examine your Loving your Neighbor Will you forgive when you've been injured?

Examine your friends.  You can’t hang out with negative people and be positive.

Examine your tongue.  You can change your world by changing your words…    Remember, Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Pro 18:21)

These probing questions are only clues to realizing where your walk is with the Lord. Icebergs in the ocean only reveal about 10% of how big they are beneath the water. Each of us should take these examinations through The Word of God and His Holy Spirit to help us reroute our path from the dangers that try to sink our vessel. Had the leaders on the Titanic chosen to be vigilant and watchful and change her course, 1,500 plus lives may have been spared! Somebody went to sleep below the deck and on the deck of the ship, and the nightmare of the century started to unravel. If only somebody had taken seriously, earnestly the journey they were on in those treacherous waters!

Hebrews 12:1 declares, “Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us.” Paul says, ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12)

Choose to say, “I’m going to win; I’m going to make it; I’m going to overcome; I’m going to finish the course that is set before me; I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.” Then you can finish strong the course that is set before you! So are you developing forward; GROW for it? “Don’t make excuses, don’t blame the past. The rest of your life can be the best of your life!”