Are You Ready to Grow Spiritually?

Think and Assess Before You Answer

This article kicks off my series “Spiritual Adulting: Becoming Responsible and Going Deep”, which will continue throughout the month.

You can listen to this article if you prefer. Enjoy!

Do you want to grow spiritually?

Before you answer that, I want you to take a few things into account.

First, I think a lot of people tell themselves that they want to grow spiritually, but they really don't. They are quite comfortable with where they are at in life, and to grow spiritually would disrupt that.

Yet, it is important to say they want to grow spiritually, because that makes them feel good about having the desire to grow, which becomes a substitute for actual growth. So in other words, saying they want to grow spiritually helps them to feel good about intentionally staying where they are.

Second, spiritual growth is indeed disruptive to life. When you grow spiritually you will find that you won’t be able to connect with some of the people around you as well as you used to. Your values will change, your beliefs will change, and your behaviors will change. As you embark upon the path of becoming your Best Self, more than likely you will have to make significant life changes (including adjusting relationships) in order to live with authenticity and integrity.

Third, if you grow spiritually you will find that life becomes a lot more difficult as it becomes more complex. You will start to see how things are interrelated. So, when you try to do good in one area of life, you might discover that you could end up doing harm in another.

Overall, spiritual growth is a lot like transitioning from childhood to full-blown adulthood. When you were a child, others told you what you needed to do and when to do it. Everything was provided for you. Once you grew into adulthood, however, you had to take responsibility for all aspects of your life and navigate difficult terrain.

Yes, the life of an adult is significantly harder than that of a child, but I believe it is also far more rewarding in ways a child can’t even comprehend.

Growing up spiritually…or not

Back when I was getting my Associate in Secondary Education degree at Parkland Community College in Champaign-Urbana Illinois, I took an educational psychology class. I remember the teacher standing in front of the class talking about child development. She said, “If you force a child to walk before it is ready, you will ultimately do harm as the bones are not yet designed to carry that weight. But when the child is ready, the child will start to walk” (or something like that anyway).

This is the “law of readiness”. 

I believe the law of readiness also applies to spiritual growth. People will simply not grow until they are ready for it. 

Sometimes that readiness (or lack of readiness) is related to their current circumstances. For example, maybe they are dealing with a lot of family issues, or work issues, or some other crisis. During times like these, they may need their spirituality to serve as an anchor amidst the storm rather than something that adds disruption to their lives. 

When it's time, it's time

When people are ready for spiritual growth, they will pursue it…sometimes with vigor. 

I remember back when I really started to grow in my 20s. I read the Bible religiously (pun intended). I purchased books of all kinds trying to learn as much as I could. I did all the stuff that was fitting for the stage of development I was in at the time. 

The result: I learned a lot in a short amount of time. It was a true growth spurt. I had deepened my knowledge of the Bible in significant ways. And I was solidifying that knowledge daily.

Then, I came across something that challenged my entire approach to the Bible.

That triggered another growth spurt. Again, I deepened my knowledge of the Bible. I also widened my perspective by including studies of church history and previously unexplored (previously rejected, actually) theologies. As a result, I began seeing my world quite differently than I had before. 

As a person, I was transforming rapidly. This transformation upended my life and its trajectory. 

Let me say that again…

This transformation upended my life and its trajectory

The point of the story is to say that there may be a time for spiritual growth, and there may be a time when spiritual growth should take a back seat to spiritual nurture and renewal. Everyone needs to decide for themselves what season they are in. You should only pursue spiritual growth if you are ready for it. 

And, if you are ready for it, you probably won’t be able to resist.

Next week, I want to explore some basic dynamics of spiritual growth, how they strengthen you, and even how they may hurt you. 

If you are ready to grow spiritually, then you will want to start looking at your personal growth patterns in light of the dynamics I’m going to talk about in the next article.

Peace, Bo
www.evolvingchristianfaith.net

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Upcoming This Month

~ Spiritual Depth: The Benefit & Danger
~ Spiritual Maturation: Expanding the Self
~ Is the Church a Blessing or Curse for Spiritual Growth?

Want to know more about my perspective?

Feel free to pick up my book, Drinking from an Empty Glass: Living Out of a Meaningless Spirituality on Amazon.

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