Spiritual growth isn’t something that happens automatically. First we must want to grow; then we need to decide to grow, discipline ourselves, and find joy in our spiritual growth. Some people can stay stuck in spiritual infancy because they doubt their ability to grow, drift wherever the current takes them, or delay their growth, thinking, ‘I’ll get round to it when things get easier and I have more time to focus on it’. But if we wait for the ‘right time’, it’ll never happen. We might put off our spiritual growth because life seems difficult at the moment and there’s so much more to think about, but God will help us find opportunities for growth in all circumstances. Growth always begins with a decision. Jesus said to Matthew, ‘Follow me and be my disciple…So Matthew got up and followed him’ (Matthew 9:9 NLT). Matthew didn’t understand all the implications of his decision; he simply made the decision to follow Jesus. And a decision’s all we need to get started. We’re shaped by the decisions we make and the commitments and priorities that govern our lives. But sometimes we can be afraid of making the wrong decision, so we only half-heartedly commit to something, or try to commit to too many things in the hope that we’re keeping our options open. Both of those strategies can lead to us missing out on God’s best. Every choice we make has consequences, so let’s choose wisely by involving God before we commit. Christlikeness is the result of making Christ-like choices, and every decision is a new opportunity to draw closer to Him.
