It’s Spring! Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and the evidence of growth is everywhere. It’s part of life to see new growth in our yards and the trees we drive past. New life and fresh growth are part of God’s plan. He created everything that is living to grow.

What about your life? When you look back each year, do you see spiritual growth and development? Have you learned more about God’s Word? Or learned to pray more effectively? Are you sharing your faith with others and seeing spiritual fruit in your life? If not, it might be time to ask, “Why not?”

You are a spiritual being, born-again with the life of Christ in you. “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” Colossians 1:27.

Many Christians remain spiritually stunted and dwarfed in spiritual growth, presenting the same appearance year after year. Let’s look at what God’s Word says about the subject of spiritual growth. “So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.” Ephesians 4:14-16 AMP.

In Mark 4, Jesus taught His followers about the Word of God being the “seed,” and when it is placed in good ground—which represents someone’s heart—it grows and multiplies. “But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

When we read further down, in verses 26-28, we see a further example of growth and development. “And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.” Mark 4:26-28.

Jesus is saying that if we plant the Word of God in our life and receive it into our heart with faith, it will grow us up spiritually—even if we don’t understand how that works. It is the combination of the life and power of God’s Word, in a heart with faith to receive it, that does the work.

Much like combustion which uses fuel, oxygen, and heat, to produce a reaction… God’s Word (seed), in a person’s heart (soil), received with faith (water), produces spiritual growth, and ultimately fruit by the power that is in it.

Did you know that the entire life of any plant is in the seed. You cannot have a mature, fruit producing plant without it starting from a seed. The entire plant—its roots, its leaves, and its fruit—all of it, is within the seed. Once the seed is planted in good soil and watered, it explodes with life, and over time grows into a mature plant, ultimately producing fruit to nourish, and seed to duplicate itself.

Jesus taught that we are like a garden, where seed (God’s Word) is planted. And depending on what type of heart (soil) we have, the seed is equipped to grow and mature as it is faithfully watered. Any one who is born-again should never stop growing, unless… the seed is stifled in our heart. Read the full chapter of Mark 4 to learn what chokes the seed, or inhibits the seed ability to grow.

God’s design is for all who have been born-again to mature into strong and faith-filled Christians, who duplicate themselves and produce fruit with their lives.

Take some time to evaluate your spiritual development. Are you growing? Maturing? Is there visible new fruit in your life? If not, take the time to add necessary spiritual nutrients. Add reading your Bible daily. I believe it is important for every Christian to read the entire Bible through for themselves—not just once, but over and over throughout their lives. As we mature, God’s Word gives us fresh new understanding and the Holy Spirit brings new revelations. There are some good Bible teachers available, but it’s important not to only let someone else teach God’s Word to you, but to read it for yourself, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and enlighten you to fresh truth… deeper understanding.

Are you in a Bible Study or small group where you are studying God’s Word together, praying for one another, building one another up in your faith? Do you take what you are learning and live it out in your daily life… giving it power to produce fruit?

Your spiritual life is eternal, and you are preparing for eternity right now. Use your time wisely and enjoy the process of growing and maturing as a follower of Jesus. There is nothing more rewarding or fulfilling as a Christian, than to experience spiritual growth in your life.

The early church leaders admonished us to continue in our spiritual journey of growth. “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9-10.

With God, nothing is impossible!

Dale and Paula Black