The Simplicity of Spiritual Growth
It's not complicated, it's costly.
Before we get started here, I want to give you an update.
Since I began writing, I’ve asked, “How can I write more?” I love to write and I love the work that God seems to be doing through my weekly articles.
If you’ve been around for a while, you know I’ve messed this up a few times. (I need to repent. and Things Will Be Different)
Even though the latter of those two articles was just a few months ago, things have shifted even since then. I’ve submitted to God’s direction rather than assuming His direction and find myself in a place guided by God to publish daily.
However, not wanting to subject you to daily emails you did not initially agree to getting, I have created a new publication for this.
It’s called Life God’s Way - Daily and you can subscribe by clicking the button below. My promise to you is daily (M-F) scripture-based devotionals with reflection/discussion questions you can use on your own or in small group settings.
Some will be free, some will be behind a paywall. (Current paid subscribers get an automatic comp for this new publication.)
So far, here are the two posts.
Today’s will go out in a couple of hours and is a paid post. If you’ve subscribed to Life God’s Way as a paid subscriber, you’ve received a comped membership on the other publication.
Thank you for going on this journey with me, and I pray the devotionals are a benefit to you and those you love.
Now, let’s get into today’s article.
The Simplicity of Spiritual Growth
Have you ever spent an extended amount of time with Gen Z?
If you do, you’ll be engulfed in a different reality—one with code words and slang that our forefathers would never have imagined. I think George Washington would hear a Gen Z or Gen Alpha speak today and assume that America had adopted a different language, or dictionary at the very least.
My point is not to say this is bad. I spent almost every day with these two generations and, though it took a while, I eventually understood what they meant when they said something was skibbidy or sigma.1
Language catches on like a wildfire. It takes about 4 hours in a school setting for a new slang term to be introduced before the entire school catches on and begins to use the same verbiage.
Why is that?
It’s simple.
It’s because we become like the people we spend the most time with.
Slang spreads rapidly because our students are immersed in a specific culture. This same concept is why it’s best to go to a Spanish-speaking country when your goal is to speak Spanish fluently. Taking classes or crushing your goals on Duolingo is helpful, but nothing works like immersing yourself in the culture.
We become like the people we spend the most time with.
If we want to become experts at video games, we need to spend time gaming with gamers.
If we want to become experts at sales, we need to spend time selling alongside sellers.
If we want to become experts at marriage, we need to spend time with healthy married couples.
Likewise, if we want to become like Jesus, we need to spend as much time with Him as possible.
There is no silver bullet to becoming like Jesus.
You can read the Bible but never become like Him.
You can pray but never become like Him.
You can practice all the Spiritual disciplines but never become like Him.
This is because it’s possible to do all that while remaining but be self-focused and self-serving.
The solution though, is simple:
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
—2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT
What does this mean?
This means that if we want to become like Jesus, we must look at Him. We need to take our eyes off of ourselves, stop being self-focused, and look at Him. We need to see Him. We need to behold His glory.
We must be people that sit in His presence, turn our eyes to His glory, and allow His Spirit to transform us piece by piece. We immerse ourselves in the culture of the Trinity—the steadfast love of the Father, the unimaginable grace of Jesus Christ, and the freedom that comes with the Holy Spirit.
It’s then and only then that we’re able to grow spiritually.
Bible reading doesn’t guarantee growth—our motivations can push us in 1,000 directions.
Prayer doesn’t guarantee growth—we can end up just talking to ourselves.
The spiritual disciplines are great but they don’t guarantee growth. Being transformed into the image of Christ happens when we contemplate His glory. When we think deeply about who He is and who He wants to make us. When we meditate on His grace, which has set us free, we can have honest, heart/soul-level conversations with the Holy Spirit, who leads us to freedom.
I want you to imagine pulling up a seat at the table. What table? The Trinitarian table. Imagine a four-sided table and three seats are occupied by the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit and you have the opportunity to grab the fourth.
Immerse yourself in their reality.
What are they talking about?
What’s life like for them?
Because according to the doctrine of Union with Christ—that’s where you belong. With Christ. Where He goes, you go.
When we allow ourselves to believe that truth we can allow ourselves to relax into God’s presence, behold His glory, and therefore become like Him.
We will become like what we consistently consume.
I met someone who consumed music at an alarming amount—they were shallow-minded and couldn’t focus.
I met a person who spent 12 hours of their day watching explicit content—they were dead inside.
I met someone who was glued to their social media apps—they were anxious and depressed.
I met a man who had memorized most of the Psalms—he was full of life, wisdom, and peace.
When we meditate on the person and work of Jesus Christ, in presence of the Trinity, we will become like Jesus and therefore fulfill the call on our lives.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
—Romans 8:29 ESV
It’s simple, but it will be the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do.
It’s not complicated, it’s costly.
I’ll see you next week.
—Brandon
Excellent stuff Brandon. Engaging in a real, intimate, vulnerable, sacrificial love relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the only way. We can't just read about them or do stuff for them. We have to know them and be honest with them.
Meditating or studying God is a pale comparison to knowing Him and speaking with Him and listening to what He says to us.
You’re exactly right, we must be face to face with our Lord, love the 2 Cor 3:18 verse, but I especially like 2 Cor 4:6:
“For it is the God who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels…”
The love of the Father and the Son, face to face, in our hearts, is the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Trinity is a treasure, and it’s a delight to spend time in their presence!