Day 1| Why Spiritual Growth Takes Time

Contributor: David Jones

In a world where we have constant and instant access to people and information, it is very easy to compare our lives to others. It is even easier to fall into the deception that we are obligated to move at extreme paces, living for a moment that changes our circumstances instead of living out a process that transforms and develops us. 

Watching people live out our dreams in ways that appear to happen overnight can often make us impatient with God’s pace. And when we are gifted and feel as if we are just as capable, the longing can entice us into sabotaging the investment God is making in our character. The risk we run if we do not guard our hearts is being lured into building houses (or lives) that aren’t weatherproof, with poor foundations. The foundation we build on is Christ and the revelation of who He is (Matthew 16:18).

Proverbs 24:3-4 tells us that wisdom is how a house is built and understanding is how it is established, or set in place. If the house being built is you and I, and wisdom is the way the Holy Spirit builds it, then this process is impossible without the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of Him is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). So with reverence and the fellowship that allows God to reveal Himself, we are built and set into place. This is a process we can’t avoid surrendering to if we are to be built according to Heaven’s code.

In Ezra 3:10-11, we are reading a story where a rebuild, or reset, is happening. The process of building the foundation, or laying the groundwork, isn’t by any means as glamorous as building the house itself. However, this is a process we can’t diminish the value of. The sustainability of the house depends on how firm the foundation is, and the celebration they had is one we can share if we value the laying of groundwork properly and are patient enough to do it well.

The foundation stage may look like a delay to us, but it is the stage heaven celebrates, because it is where God is loving, developing, and investing in us. Rushing it means walking away from that investment. It may not be seen, but it will be the very thing questioned if the house is not able to stand in a storm (Matthew 7:24-27). Our Father is not slack concerning His promises (2 Peter 3:9). If He begins a work, He will finish it (Philippians 1:6). Since He doesn’t will for us to perish, we have to be patient during sanctification and the repentance it involves.

Reflection Questions: 

• What areas of your spiritual foundation need more attention before you move into what’s next?
• Are you more focused on where you want God to take you or who God is developing you to become along the way?