The Pathway to Spiritual Growth
2 Peter 3:18
Not many people can say that the day they were saved, someone explained the steps to spiritual growth. Unfortunately, some believers never hear how to grow. God's desire is that believers be fashioned in the likeness of Christ. But we do not grow as a Christian without taking action.
First, we are responsible for renewing our mind. (Romans 12:2) Though God saves us and gives us a new spirit, He does not give us a new brain. Our minds have many trenches that have been dug or worn by disobedience and rebellion. So we must meditate on the Bible, which expresses the thoughts of God. Meditation is more than reading—it involves thinking about what the words mean and then applying truth. There is no way to grow spiritually without absorbing Scripture into our thinking.
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A second valuable practice for our Christian walk is being ready to admit our failures and assume responsibility for them. When we deny our sins, we delay our spiritual growth, but when we confess our failures, the opposite happens—growth is inevitable.
The third step naturally follows the second: after confession should come repentance. This is more than acknowledging wrongdoing or promising to try harder. Repentance means that we commit to make an about-face and head in the opposite direction from our sin.
God's goal is for all believers to become more Christlike daily. With these steps, we will begin to develop in that direction. And the most important consequence is that our relationship with God will deepen.
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