Growing in Faith

 

It’s that time of year again. Our veggies are growing in the garden. We’ve picked a lot of spinach already, as well as lettuce and a few beans. We have tomatoes and peppers growing and the beginnings of some cucumbers. The bluebonnets in the front yard are almost finished blooming but the daylilies have started. This means that we have regular chores to do in order to keep everything going. We need to water regularly, pull weeds, apply fertilizer, and get rid of invading diseases and insects. We don’t mind the work (much) because we enjoy the fruits of our labor. We know that things will begin to die out if we don’t put forth the effort.

 

Our faith is a living thing. Like all other living things, it needs to be nurtured if it is to grow. No matter what level of maturity we may reach, there is still work to be done. We are called to grow spiritually all of our lives. If we are to grow, we need to nourish ourselves and remove whatever impediments that may stunt our growth or make us unfruitful.

 

Peter advises us as to how we can grow spiritually and be protected from the attacks of the enemy.

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”   (2 Peter 1:5-8).

 

We can use Peter’s exhortation as a kind of report card to see how well we are doing. We should be growing in knowledge, regularly studying God’s word and being instructed in it by our pastors and other Christian teachers. Our faith should be affecting the way we live and how we interact with others, calling us to lives of loving service. James wrote about the interaction of faith and works, saying, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). We should strive for godliness, which can be defined as reverence for or devotion to God, producing a practical awareness of God in every aspect of life. When we try to emulate Jesus and seek His guidance in all that we do, we will grow spiritually.

 

We all will face trials in this life. James writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Our muscles grow stronger with the stress of exercise; without exercise, they become flabby. We exercise not for the purpose of doing harm but to grow stronger. Our trials are not meant for our ruin. They can strengthen us and make us more like Jesus, who suffered trials greater than we can conceive.

 

May this be a season of growth for all of us.

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The individual posts in this blog have been collected into a book, Reflections From the Basic Truths Blog.  It is available for free as an ebook through Barnes and Noble, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-from-the-basic-truths-blog-james-yarmchuk/1147055811?ean=2940181202702, Apple Books, and multiple other book websites. It is available for a minimal charge on Amazon and can also be purchased as a paperback through them.