Questions about spiritual growth.

[The Scientist of the Eternal Pinecone]

Hello, dear brothers and sisters.

I declared Christ as my Lord 1,5 years ago. After I came to Him, a friend of mine told me that I am in the baby stage of my walk with the Lord and that He is carrying me in His hands at this stage. I loved to be a baby when I was a baby and I thought that I never want to grow up. I didn't want to believe what this girl told me... I hoped that the Lord would always carry me! I thought that she was lying and she doesn't understand a thing! But as time went on, it seems that I grew and that now I am learing to walk. Maybe i have learned my first steps, or maybe I can even walk for a while. But I think the Lord still plays with me like with a little toddler. Now when I am in this stage - all I want is to be big! I want to grow and become a good, diligent and fruitful child of God. I want to bring a lot of fruit for the Lord! I want to make a big harvest for Him! I want Him to come to Earth! And I cannot stand that I still make a mess a lot of the times and I am still learning to wait and be patient. A lot of times I want everything fast. And sometimes I like to wander in the world and just play with everything around me. I seem to love the world. Sometimes unbelievers seem friendlier then people in my church and it breaks my heart. A lot of times I don't understand what the Lord is doing with me and it makes me sad and afraid.

So I have questions:

First. When i was in this baby stage, I had a lot of lovely feelings from the Lord. But then they stopped because I was a stubborn kid, who wanted to do his thing (sin). Then when I fell deep in the pit, I called on Him and He answered and it seemed that He told me - I want you to learn to walk! Walk by faith not by feelings! So I started to learn to walk by faith, by His Word! Did this happen to you all? Did you start off by trusting your feelings and then learned to walk by faith because you just had to?

Second. What are the stages of growing as a child of God? Is there a common pattern to how God is dealing with us as spiritual children? Just as a natural child is growing up and going through stages of growth - so it must be with a spiritual child, right? What are the stages you know about? Do you know what are we thought in each stage?

Is there literature, information, sermons about this question?

Third. Can we grow faster? Are there children of God who are growing slower and ones that are growing faster? What seperates them? How to grow faster?

Fourth. Is it possible to make spiritual childhood less painful and more full of joy? If so - how?

Extra question. What are the 'ins and outs' of growing into an exceptionally loving child of God?

 

[“Paisios”]

Hello, dear brothers and sisters.

I declared Christ as my Lord 1,5 years ago. After I came to Him, a friend of mine told me that I am in the baby stage of my walk with the Lord and that He is carrying me in His hands at this stage. I loved to be a baby when I was a baby and I thought that I never want to grow up. I didn't want to believe what this girl told me... I hoped that the Lord would always carry me! I thought that she was lying and she doesn't understand a thing! But as time went on, it seems that I grew and that now I am learing to walk. Maybe i have learned my first steps, or maybe I can even walk for a while. But I think the Lord still plays with me like with a little toddler. Now when I am in this stage - all I want is to be big! I want to grow and become a good, diligent and fruitful child of God. I want to bring a lot of fruit for the Lord! I want to make a big harvest for Him! I want Him to come to Earth! And I cannot stand that I still make a mess a lot of the times and I am still learning to wait and be patient. A lot of times I want everything fast. And sometimes I like to wander in the world and just play with everything around me. I seem to love the world. Sometimes unbelievers seem friendlier then people in my church and it breaks my heart. A lot of times I don't understand what the Lord is doing with me and it makes me sad and afraid.

So I have questions:

First. When i was in this baby stage, I had a lot of lovely feelings from the Lord. But then they stopped because I was a stubborn kid, who wanted to do his thing (sin). Then when I fell deep in the pit, I called on Him and He answered and it seemed that He told me - I want you to learn to walk! Walk by faith not by feelings! So I started to learn to walk by faith, by His Word! Did this happen to you all? Did you start off by trusting your feelings and then learned to walk by faith because you just had to?

Second. What are the stages of growing as a child of God? Is there a common pattern to how God is dealing with us as spiritual children? Just as a natural child is growing up and going through stages of growth - so it must be with a spiritual child, right? What are the stages you know about? Do you know what are we thought in each stage?

Is there literature, information, sermons about this question?

Third. Can we grow faster? Are there children of God who are growing slower and ones that are growing faster? What seperates them? How to grow faster?

Fourth. Is it possible to make spiritual childhood less painful and more full of joy? If so - how?

Extra question. What are the 'ins and outs' of growing into an exceptionally loving child of God?

I have found both of these threads helpful to me in answering these questions.

What are the steps of spiritual growth?

STAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP

It has been a long walk, and I still feel like a toddler. Each time I think I have arrived and get comfortable in one place on my spiritual walk, God gives me a brief period to rest, then instills a sense of restlessness, and knowledge that I am not there yet, and puts me back on the path to a deeper knowledge of Him, and deeper encounters with Him. I keep looking for the end, but how can we ever truly know the Unknowable?

 

[joshua 1 9]

Did you start off by trusting your feelings and then learned to walk by faith because you just had to?

Yes, I had to trust in God because I did not have a choice. There was no where else to go and no one to turn to. Good everythings works out and I learned that God is trustworthy.

 

[paul1149]

Did you start off by trusting your feelings and then learned to walk by faith because you just had to?

Can we grow faster?

Is it possible to make spiritual childhood less painful and more full of joy?

What are the 'ins and outs' of growing into an exceptionally loving child of God?

Excellent observations and questions. Yes, I started off on a spiritual high, but then eventually the rubber hit the road. I think this is the typical way we grow. The flesh is still the flesh, and resists the reign of God. This is why Paul says it must be crucified daily. At first we often think that everything is going to be Cloud Nine from now on, but we are in for a rude awakening.

How to grow faster, and more painlessly have the same answer: total surrender. The more we resist, the longer the process takes, the more painful it is, and the more opportunities are lost. It comes down to tending and feeding the soil of our heart, according to the parable of the sower. Break up the hard ground. Chase away the birds. Dig down and get out the stones. Take care of the weeds. And apply the water of the Word daily.

The best way to develop compassion, I think, is to realize what Christ had to go through to save us. Dwell on the Cross, it all begins there. When we see the cost, we begin to realize how great a sin we were saved from, since it took that much to save us. We love because He first loved us, and he who is forgiven much, loves much.

 

[joshcorn]

I just put a post in another section about God using you and growing up.

Looking back at the beginning of my walk with the Lord. I meet Jesus and then got born again. Now picture yourself as a new born baby crowing around on the floor,exploring your new world. A year has gone by now and Jesus is the the room. He knows that this is the day you want to learn to walk with him. He helps you up and you take you first step.
What is is this first step.
Jesus puts a desire in your heart to go or phone this friend you have to talk to them.
You are out shopping and you see this small item and think,oh my friend ___ would like this.
Later on you find out how blessed that person was when you called and same thing with the gift.
Jesus just used you to meet a meed or say I love you.

You are maturing when you respond to the small things He puts on your heart. What come neck.
Hearing His voice,John 10

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

yes Jesus speaks to you. Jesus is the perfect relationship,if the person in a relationship doe not speak to you, is that a perfect relationship,take time to get along with Jesus to pray about[Prayer is talking to Jesus or The Father and by faith Jesus or The Father will respond with their voice. Jesus tough me this lesson,How to discern your though life.
Once you get the revelation on this and you push forward,in faith. Every forward step you take is by FAITH. You speak it out,Father by Faith I step out,take a step forward. That is putting action to what you just said.
You are growing up. No more dippers for you..There is a progression in our growth, 1.Being a servant of Jesus.2.Becoming a friend of Jesus.3.Son ship,being like Jesus.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have found both of these threads helpful to me in answering these questions.

What are the steps of spiritual growth?

STAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP

It has been a long walk, and I still feel like a toddler. Each time I think I have arrived and get comfortable in one place on my spiritual walk, God gives me a brief period to rest, then instills a sense of restlessness, and knowledge that I am not there yet, and puts me back on the path to a deeper knowledge of Him, and deeper encounters with Him. I keep looking for the end, but how can we ever truly know the Unknowable?

I think 2 Peter 3.18 is a very relevant verse for the believer:

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."

 

[Homer Les]

Well I can only speak from experience and what God has taught us in our journey.

First, is there any literature about the stages of spiritual maturity? Yes, yes there is.
Stages of Spiritual Maturity http://bit.ly/2wq4Pu1
The Nature of the Soul http://bit.ly/2eLRJOp
Overview of Body, Soul and Spirit http://bit.ly/2evcRf4

It isn't much but it is what we have learned about spiritual growth.

Second, to answer the question, can we grow faster? Well that is a difficult question to answer because unlike physical growth spiritual growth is all about choice and free will. God knows what you need to learn and will give you the lessons to help learn it. Your free will and obedience will determine if you grow or stagnate. From our experience I have to say that there is no one path that everyone must take for spiritual growth. Each person has an individual path they must follow. To go faster or slower isn't the point. It is far more important to just keep moving forward regardless. To simply obey is hard to do at the best of times. The real hard part is when God just asks you to wait. It seems and feels like you are just stagnating but the reality is that it is the time when you grow the most.

Growing up is hard and the lessons get harder as we mature. There are certainly good days and bad days. Keep in mind that a bad day or good day for you in God's mind is not the same thing. We have found that the continual surrender of 'self' to God makes understanding that a whole lot easier.

Finally I have found that there is one absolute requirement for spiritual growth for ALL people. No exceptions. In order to grow spiritually one must bow lower and lower in humility. It is the ONLY path. Pride will kill growth in a heartbeat and destroy any and all progress. I have seen many shipwreck their journey of faith on the rocks of pride.