I can’t believe I said that.
I can’t believe I fell into that same old temptation . . . again.
God must be so disappointed in me.
Have any of these thoughts ever entered your mind? Whether you’ve been a Christian for two weeks or two decades, chances are you’ve encountered times when your expectations of yourself didn’t quite match up with the reality you saw staring back at you in the mirror—times when you’ve felt “stuck” in your spiritual growth or like you are just not meeting the mark as a believer.
Perhaps you’ve heard the word “sanctification” at church or in your weekly Bible study and know it involves growing to be more like Christ. But perhaps you don’t feel more like Christ on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps you just feel stuck.
You might find yourself wondering: Am I doing something wrong? Am I failing in my spiritual growth?
Good News for Your Spiritual Growth
The good news for those of us who have put our trust in Jesus is that even when we don’t feel like we’re growing, the Lord is still at work in us. Little by little, day by day, He is transforming us into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). The progress may feel slow. Sometimes, it may even feel like it comes in fits and spurts, like we’re taking two steps forward and one step back. But we can take heart in the truth that God is progressively sanctifying us, whether we feel it or not.
In Philippians 1:6, the Apostle Paul speaks to the certainty of this process, writing: “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day Christ Jesus.” The “work” Paul speaks of is our spiritual growth—it started on the day we placed our trust in Christ, and it will continue until the day when we stand before Him in glory. Later in Philippians, Paul instructs believers to “work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling” while also reminding them that God is the One ultimately at work in them—”both to will and to work according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12–13).
Until that work is complete, we walk through the ups and downs of this life, sometimes sprinting, sometimes stumbling, but always trying to live in light of the salvation we have received.
The best part? As Paul reminds us, we don’t walk alone. The Lord goes before us. He walks beside us and lifts us up. He sustains us, inviting us into daily spiritual disciplines that help us grow. And he gives us others—our dear brothers and sisters in Christ—to walk with us.
A Resource to Help You Better Understand Spiritual Growth
These truths are at the heart of Good Christian Girl | Hope in Christ When You Don’t Feel Like You Measure Up, the newest book from The Daily Grace Co.
I had the delight of getting to partner with the author, Suzanne Rhodes, on the creation of this book as her editor. From the very early brainstorming and outlining stages to the writing, rewriting, and revising that followed, I had a front-row seat to see it become the warm, welcoming, and theologically rich book it is today—one that will invite you to recognize and celebrate the beautiful truth that God is still at work in you, even when you feel discouraged by sin, doubts, and spiritual plateaus.
I also got the unique opportunity to share a small piece of my own experience of spiritual growth in chapter seven, reflecting on the way God has used His Word and a community of fellow believers to challenge and spur me on in my faith.
My story is just one of several real-life examples of spiritual growth in this book, which the author intentionally included to show you how God has worked in the lives of women like you. And this is perhaps my favorite part of Good Christian Girl. It is not only filled with important theological truths and good reminders for us as believers—it is also immensely practical, meeting you right where you’re at and inviting you to take the next step in your lifelong journey of spiritual growth.
So, today, if you find yourself wanting to please God but feeling stuck, if you find yourself desiring to grow in your faith but not quite knowing how, if you feel ashamed by all the ways you just don’t measure up and fear that you never will—I encourage you to pick up a copy of Good Christian Girl.
Better yet, invite a friend (or a few!) to read it along with you, working through the reflection questions in the back and encouraging one another along the way as you take step after step along the hard but holy journey of the Christian life.
Above all, remember and rest in the truth that God is still at work in you. This book will simply show you how.
Additional Resources on Spiritual Growth:
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Good Christian Girl |
Growing in Grace |
Seeking True Growth in Christ |
How to Feel More Confident in Your Salvation |
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