Yesterday at work I was asked to fill out a mid-year job performance evaluation review on myself. It is an evaluation of the progress you are making toward the goals that were set forth for you at your annual year end review. This is not an easy task - or it wasn't for me anyway. I wished that I could have said I had already met all my goals; but I couldn't say that. I had to be honest.
Oh, I had accomplished part or some of my goals; but there were definitely some that I still needed to work on. My answer on the review for one goal was that with due diligence I hoped to show marked improvement by the end of the year. With another goal, I had made some improvement already -- but was it was still an "on going process."
All this self -examination and my use of the phrase "on going process" reminded me of a book I sometimes read to my two and three year old Bible class. The name of the book is I'm Growing. The book is about all the things a child could not do when he or she was a baby compared to the things he or she can do now. The last page goes something like this -- "When I was a baby, I did not know how to pray - now I can say, 'Thank you, God' every day. I'm bigger than I was and I'm still growing." The children love this book. You see two or three year olds love to talk about being a "big girl or big boy."
Then my thoughts jumped to my spiritual growth. I began to think about how I might do on a mid-year spiritual performance review and realized that I fall way short. In my mind, I could Jesus gently telling me that I still needed to work on this and this and that. Spiritual growth is very definitely an on going process and I have a long way to go! Like the little children in the book, maybe I have grown some - but I'm still growing. At least, I hope I am.
I remember having a conversation several years ago with a very sweet elderly Christian lady who has since gone on to heaven. She was always encouraging everyone and had been faithful all her life. Her husband had served as an elder, but he had been in heaven for a long time. She had continued to serve the Lord faithfully and set a wonderful example for all those around her.
Well, anyway that day I sat down beside her to visit with her a few minutes. She was encouraging me, telling how sweet I was and building me up in so many ways. I thanked her and then I mentioned to her that I was just beginning to learn that spiritual maturity was an (ha!) "on going process." She very quickly agreed with me. She said, "Oh it is honey! We have to keep growing, keep learning --keep working. We have strive to grow every day." This wonderful Christian lady was telling me that she still worked on her Christianity! Like I said, she was always a wonderful example.
Spiritual growth is something that all Christians should strive for every day. We should love spending time with the Lord in prayer. We should crave learning more about Jesus by studying our Bibles every day. We should be working on becoming more Christ-like every day. We should long for Jesus and God to make his abode with us. Love for Him should reign supreme in our hearts. I say "we" folks, but I really am talking to myself.
God loves us so much and He wants us to be with Him in heaven. Jesus Christ is our Savior, Redeemer and best friend. If I am not growing closer to Him every day, why not? Paul tells us the devil walks about as a roaring lion seeking to devour us. Paul beseeched us not to be conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:1-2)
What about our brother Peter? Consider a few verses from his epistles --
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby; if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (I Peter 2:2-3)
See - we are supposed to desire to grow -- desire the word so that we CAN grow -- IF you have tasted that the Lord is gracious - then desire more of His word so that you can grow. Hmmm - well, have you? Have you experienced that the Lord is gracious? Oh my, I certainly have! How wonderful that He has died for us so that we can be free of sins. Peter says -- Grow....
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:5-8)
What wonderful verses telling us to add -- add -- to your faith and add to virtue knowledge and then -- add ..... in others words keep growing and adding until these things are in you and abound ---let them abound in you so that you won't be unfruitful.
Lastly, Peter's final exhortation -- the last thing we ever hear from this apostle is: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. (II Peter 3:18)
I think Peter must have thought spiritual growth was pretty important! I guess I need to keep my on-going process going on! What about you?
Christ above all things,
Robin
No comments:
Post a Comment