Growing in every condition

As we grow in the Lord and come to see life from His perspective, we should reach a stage of maturity where we are able see the sovereignty of the Lord in our lives. Then we will able to understand and acknowledge that whatever God allows is for a purpose. And out of every situation or event that happens in our life we will be able to learn something or use that situation to achieve something good.

Philippians 1:18, 19 (New International Version)
...Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19. for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Apostle Paul had the right perception of life. He saw that whatever happened to him would turn out for good. He learnt to perseveare under every circumstance...He grew and did not dwindle. We too can learn a lot from our life in Christ... if only we hold the right perspectives.

Growth by yielding

Another kind of maturity that has to be there among God's children is accepting the will of God in their lives. Sometimes we don't accept God's will that easily...we fight and try all our efforts to make God comply to our will. Then after realizing that it is not the right thing to have done, do we give up resentfully. But giving up resentfully is not the right attitude either...for we have failed to understand God and trust His love for us.

Only when we learn to yield to God, believing whatever He approves or permits is good for us, will we be able to understand Him and appreciate His will in our lives. For this we need to ask the Lord to make us captive to Him always.

2 Tim 2:26 (NASB)

...having been held captive by him to do his will.

Maturity in Growth

When we presume that we are growing in the Lord, then the result of that growing is maturity. Immaturity is not the aspect of growth. Real maturity is Christ-like which has a inner poise and serenity. Many people think that having a good knowledge about the Bible is considered as growing. It is true that a good knowledge of the Word of God is an essential aspect for a believer. But that is to help us apply it in our lives in an appropriate way. Mere knowledge is no were considered growth. Only when the knowledge derived from God's Word is applied in our lives (which is wisdom), then there is real growth i.e maturity.

Hebrews 5:13-14 (New International Version)
13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

So let us grow in all maturity which we derive from the Lord in various ways such as the Word of God, from the Spirit of God and through life experiences which the Lord uses to teach us. Let us be open to every teaching, correction and discipline the Lord brings so that we may grow and mature in Him.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (New International Version)

6We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began

Growing in Him

Our growth in the Lord depends on two aspects. Love and truth. These are the vital features that has to be in a child of God. It is not the gift of tongues or of prophecy or a miracle working gift which identifies a believer. It is the key nature found in Christ by which people will identify us with Christ.

When we look at a kid or a grown up we identify a parental trait inherited either from his/her dad or mom by which we say that he/ she resembles so much like their parent. In the same way people have to identify us with Christ-like nature reflected in us, only then we can be sure that we are growing in Him...

Ephesians 4:15-16 (New Living Translation)
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Growing in Knowledge

Have you ever wondered that many folks who read the Bible never get to know the Lord personally or understand His ways to adopt them in their lives? Many read the Bible, many go to Church, many pray but not all live a Christ-centered life. Not all live the life as He desires them to live. The reason is they know about Jesus but not they don't know Him personally. Unless a person is born again by the Spirit of God, they have no revelation from the Holy Spirit to know Jesus in a personal way...

But those who are born again in Christ (by believing the gospel of Christ and by yielding to Him by faith) are given the Holy Spirit who opens their spiritual eyes. They are given the knowledge and wisdom by the Holy Spirit to know Christ more...

Ephesians 1:17 (New International Version)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

May the Father give us the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge so that we may know Him and His ways to live.

2 Peter 3:18 (New International Version)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen

Growing in Faith

Faith grows in us only when we come to know the Lord more through our personal experience, His Word and His revelation of Himself to us in marvelous ways. If we don't grow in faith and in knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord, then we may become stagnant. Slowly we may also diminish in our faith.

Ephesians 4:13 (New International Version)
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

In the same way fellowship of believers is important because people in the Lord build one another in Christ, strengthen each other and partner with one another to pray for others need. Therefore let us never forsake our time with God, limit our knowledge of Christ (through God's Word and good Christian books) and neglect fellowship with believers.