Do you feel you are not growing spiritually? You’ve been a Christian for a long time and you still feel like you aren’t any closer to a true life with God. Why is this?
Pride stops spiritual growth
The biggest thing that stops our spiritual growth is the pride that is rooted so deeply in our human nature. We may not even realise how much of what we are doing every day is driven by pride.
But when we think that we know better than what is clearly written in God’s Word, then we can be sure that that is pride. When we are more worried about what people think about us than what God thinks about us. When we wonder if people think less of us than we “deserve”. We are overflowing with love for ourselves. No wonder we haven’t come to any spiritual growth!
This is why it is so important to know that God can’t do anything with us until we out of our own free will surrender everything to Him. We need to let go of our pride, and also of our own ideas of what is best, and listen to God’s voice in our lives. If we do this with our whole heart, we will hear that the Holy Spirit teaches us to be lowly in our own eyes. (Romans 12:6.) He teaches us to have a mind to serve, not to be served. He teaches us to say No to our own will and desires, instead of always expecting something from the others. Christianity is to give; sin is to demand.
Think of the people in your Christian life whom you look up to; the ones from whom you have experienced goodness and love. How can they have it like this while you keep struggling to show love to the others, especially to people who haven’t been very kind to you? It is because they live in humility, and in that humility, God can work with them to do His will.
Seeing my pride
How do I know when I am giving in to my pride? I can know this when I choose not to say good words to others. I avoid speaking openly and honestly with others because I feel irritated and restless when I am around them. I am not glad when it goes well with my friends or family but give in to the feelings of jealousy that come up within me. I don’t experience true friendship and fellowship because I feel that I already have all the answers I need.
In short, I know I am full of pride when I keep relying on my own feelings, experiences and emotions to lead my life, instead of seeking God’s will for my life. How can I then expect to see any spiritual growth in my life?
As Christians, it is very important to see the need for God to help and guide us. If we don’t feel that we need God in our life, we will also not let Him steer our life. Then we become satisfied and content with what we have done. Instead of being watchful against sin, we don’t take the battle against sin so seriously.
Read more here how important it is to admit your pride.
A war against “I”, “me” and “mine”
We must always keep this need for God in our battle against our own pride! Don’t let your “I”, “me” and “mine” rule your life! When you care about yourself first and last, you miss out on a great eternal glory that comes from serving God. But if we choose to serve God in full humility, that brings the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, goodness and all that allows us to live worthy of being Christians here on earth. Only then can we grow spiritually.
How is it going to be with me tomorrow, next week, next month, next year? That is for me to decide: am I choosing to obey God’s leading and live in humility – or to give in to my pride?
