Growth

In this life here on earth, there will always be good things and better things, simple and difficult circumstances, hard and harder difficulties. If life stood still, then perhaps complacency would be an attractive virtue. But our reality is a life of constant change and we must constantly adapt if we are to survive. Spiritually speaking, the worst thing we can do to ourselves is simply not grow. The worst thing we can do is be satisfied with the faith we have right now to handle all future obstacles. This is exactly what the disciples of Jesus tried to do when they tried removing a spirit that was stronger than previous spirits they had removed (Mark 9:14-29). In other words, they had not grown in the faith that would have given them the power to remove such a spirit. This is apparent when Jesus says, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29), something that the disciples were not doing on a regular basis. The truth continues with our spiritual lives now. There are going to be hard obstacles to overcome and there are going to be even harder obstacles to overcome. If we’ve been complacent with our faith, we absolutely will fail! If we’re not growing, we’re completely useless not only to ourselves but to those around us. If we’re useless, our influence becomes dangerous and we become like a cancer. The only way to deal with cancer is to remove it (Matthew 7:19). Thanks be to God who is patient with us, wanting us to change and grow. Let us treat every day as a gift from God and use the days ahead to grow in His word, for our sake and for the sake of those around us, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried out by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). Let us strive together. Let us fight together for the faith. Let us “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2Peter 3:18).