Changing Your Life -While Growing In Spiritual Maturity
Changing Your Life: While Growing In Spiritual Maturity
Change is sometimes difficult while growing spiritually in the Christian life due to deeply ingrained habits, spiritual struggles against temptation (Satan), and fear of the unknown/failure. Often relying on personal willpower instead of God, discomfort with tension/growth, and pressure from others who don’t recognize your change.
This is all compounded by living in a fallen world; it requires actively renewing the mind, depending on God’s strength, consistent prayer, and seeking accountability.
While growing in Spiritual Maturity, remember it takes time. When you seek to know more about the Divine Power of God and His Son, Jesus, it will all fall into place gradually.
Spiritual & Internal Factors
- Old Habits & Mindsets: Breaking long-held sinful patterns and renewing your mind (Romans 12:2) is inherently difficult, like overcoming “strongholds”.
- Spiritual Warfare: Satan actively tempts and discourages you, making change harder.
- Self-Reliance: Trying to change through willpower or personal experience (which has limits) instead of trusting God fully (Proverbs 3:5-6) leads to failure.
- Fear & Comfort: The comfort of the familiar, fear of failure, rejection, or embarrassment, makes letting go of old ways difficult.
- Shame & Unrealistic Expectations: An anxious striving for quick growth or a “perfect” image can lock you in shame, blinding you to God’s work.
Relational & External Factors
- Social Pressure: People may resist your growth because it makes them uncomfortable or highlights their own lack of change, leading to loneliness.
- Worldly Influences: Living in a broken world means facing external pressures and temptations.
Solutions & Pathways to Change
- Depend on God: Actively pray, read the Word, and remain connected to Jesus (John 15).
- Renew Your Mind: Challenge old thought patterns with biblical truth (Romans 12:2).
- Seek Support: Find an accountability partner or mentor.
- Be Patient: Spiritual growth takes time, like a banana ripening; don’t be anxious for immediate results.
- Embrace the Tension: See challenges as opportunities for growth, not reasons to quit.
Growth In The Spiritual Life
Some people think that living a changed Christian life is easy, and you just go with the flow. However, that is not exactly how it goes. You must seek to grow into being more like Christ daily, read and learn the scriptures, seek wisdom, pray as often as you can, and with honesty to God. He knows your heart and soul, and he will not lead you astray.
You cannot let what other people think distort your decision for your belief in the Savior who died for your sins and to allow you to go to heaven. Follow the path of your heart’s conviction forward.
Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Responding When God Convicts Your Heart
It doesn’t matter what other people think, do, or say. The Lord has sent his messenger to draw you to him. Be thankful and know that what God does, no one can undo; you are going in the right direction.
Steps to Consider When Responding to a Convicted Heart:
- Acknowledge the conviction: Recognize that the feeling is a sign from God and not your own guilt.
- Seek guidance: Consult with a spiritual leader or mentor to discern the voice of God.
- Pray for clarity: Ask God for understanding and direction in your life.
- Make the necessary changes: If the conviction is about a specific behavior or decision, take steps to align with God’s will.
- Trust in God’s love: Remember that conviction is a sign of God’s love and forgiveness, not condemnation.
Very good content. Good thoughts in which to examine ourselves.
Thank you so much for your contribution to our site. Change is difficult and some of us look at others more than we look within. I have some things that I try to work on. lol, I am working on me.