Steps To Genuine Growth
Are you growing as a person?
Are you growing spiritually?
How can you tell?
Personal growth is necessary for spiritual growth. Some people don’t understand this. They think that they can grow spiritually without becoming more mature as a person. They hope they can become spiritual giants without becoming more honest and responsible. It will not happen.
Spirit life – the fruit of the Spirit - is described as: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22) These are wholeness words that affect one’s entire character. These are the by-products of the presence of God in your life, and your cooperation with His promptings.
Peter wrote a personal growth list for you to consider: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. (2 Peter 1:5-7) He goes on to say that if you possess these qualities in growing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God wants you to be faithful and fruitful in life. This productivity and effectiveness requires ever increasing wholeness – which ultimately stems from your cooperation with the will and power of God. It doesn’t all rest on you, however, God will not do it in you without your responsive participation.
If you are the same person you were one year ago, your effectiveness and productivity are probably the same, too. If, however, you would like to have a larger sphere of influence or greater impact, you will need to grow as a person.
Take a look at the growth lists emboldened above. Is God underscoring any of these character-istics for you? If so, don’t allow yourself to feel condemned; that is not what God is saying or doing.
Instead:
- Commit each highlighted quality to God.
- Tell Him what you are feeling about that area.
- Consider whether you may have any confessing or repenting to do concerning what you have or have not done.
- Envision and describe how you would like to grow and change.
- Ask for His help.
Are there any growth statements or steps that you think God would have you take this fall? You may need to consistently make some positive declarations of intent or change over a period of weeks to break your present ways of thinking and acting. Your Father in heaven may also lead you toward some practical action steps that you can take in worshipful response to Him. Bring your personal growth into God’s light, and choose to be responsible.
Please, don’t just sit there … grow, in the name of Jesus!
What are some simple growth steps you can build and work with this fall?
~ Coach Tom
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P.S. ... If you are stalled in life, or particularly if you are in transition, here are three ways I can help you Get Clear, Get Focused and Be Fruitful!
1. Grab a Free Copy of my "4 Key Steps to Clarity and Fruitfulness" Document. It's a Blueprint to help you move ahead. Click Here
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3. Work with me:
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