Spiritual Growth

Here's a great description of spiritual growth I just came across... be comforted if you've ever felt like you just took a step or two back in your spiritual growth...it does happen.

Spiritual growth is not instantaneous, it is a process. It is not what you have attained, but the direction in which you are headed. It is not upward, but onward. It has been described as being three steps forward and two steps backward. Our problem is that we want growth without the growing pains. Remember that suffering is one of the greatest tools that God has in His hand to perfect the image of Christ in us. In suffering we find out how much we need Jesus, and through that process, faith, obedience, and love are produced in our lives. Purifying is facilitated by heat; thus, God provides heat to purify our lives and to deepen our commitment to obedience.

There will be days when you will feel exactly like you felt before you experienced revival. Do not despair, but recognize that your spiritual growth is dependent on how you respond to those feelings and how quickly you run to the cross, humble yourself, cry out for God's grace and receive His forgiveness. You can be certain that the enemy will challenge the commitments you have made in revival. The only question is how you will choose to respond to the challenge.

Source: Life Action Ministries

What's important is the direction you're headed in now....today. If you're drifting aimlessly, fix your eyes (back) on Jesus and continue the journey.

More from Urbana

We live in a global world; therefore we need a global vision in order for Christianity to make sense in our worldview. If you view Christianity as essentially western and non-penetrating into other parts of the world, it will ultimately make you doubt the truth of Christianity itself. How can the message of the Gospel be universally true if it is not universally taking root all over the world? Therefore, the testimony from around the world that the church is growing and is strong is one of the most tangible modern-day proofs of the truth of the gospel we have in this current age.

This revelation has a been a powerful piece of my Urbana experience. Seeing the church in action around the world, and seeing by faith what God yet desires to accomplish through His church throughout the world immensely strengthened my faith/trust and joy in God. In addition to new excitement for the global church, it has strengthened my desire to see His kingdom come afresh here in the US, and in the lives my family, friends, and co-workers.

In short, you don’t have a very accurate picture of the church of Jesus Christ unless you have a global picture of the church….the really smart ones see that right in the Scripture where it says “this gospel shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14). However, for slower ones, who don’t always get it so fast (like me), a jumpstart experience like Urbana can be immensely helpful in understanding God’s plan.

Urbana

Got back from the Urbana missions conference (www.urbana.org) in St. Louis earlier this week. It was awesome 5 days of worship with 22,000 other people seeking God and His heart for the world. The highlights of the conference for me were the times of worship, meeting new friends, and catching a picture of the Body of Christ that I had never seen before.

Throughout the week at Urbana, we studied the Book of Ephesians using inductive Bible studies and through the exposition of Ajith Fernando (from Sri Lanka). The diverseness of the Body of Christ impressed me in a new way… how we are so different (in culture, ethnicity, nationality, or gifting) but all called to operate interdependently as one Body where Christ is the head. I had never wrestled with the concept of reciprocasity that Pastor Oscar Muriu (Kenya) spoke of on Thursday night. It humbled me to realize how much I can learn from others who have different backgrounds than me or come from a different flavor of Christianity.

I also feel that God helped me understand and become excited about His church. I saw that the church is the tool he will use to bring peace and reconciliation to our world. In Ephesians 3:10, Paul explains that the church is the vehicle God will use to make Himself known to the world. The church has been given the authority to do this task! In our culture of individualism, it is an eye-opener to see how God wants to work through community, not through my individual efforts alone.

(When we discuss “church” here, let’s be clear that the church is the worldwide Body of Christ…everyone from everywhere who is trusting in Jesus and letting Him control the direction of their lives….it is not defined by any earthly denomination or membership.)

“The Gospel” too, took on deeper meaning for me at this conference. The “Good News” encompasses not only forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God, but is part of a bigger mission… the gospel we preach also includes the fact that Jesus is changing the world through the church…your invitation to accept Christ is also an invitation to join that mission. That connection had never been made in my head or heart before. It certainly may make a more relevant message to someone like your average college student who may be slow to understand his or her own need for God, but quick to understand the vast needs of a suffering world.

What an awesome God we serve, and oh how neat it is to be part of the beautiful global church that God is building to bring glory to Himself!


More of my pics here
Full coverage of the conference on the urbana website here