Today’s 333 Devotional: “Growing in Our Faith”

God has designed all life to grow. To Adam and Eve He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28)

From the moment we were conceived, God designed us for growth. God designed us to grow physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and spiritually. But our spiritual growth doesn’t begin at conception like the others; rather it begins at conversion, that is, when we become born again. And that’s because prior to this we were dead in our trespasses and sin.

The Apostle Paul said, “Even when we were dead in trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:5)

God is the primary agent for our spiritual growth. He is our source of life, but at the same time we have a responsibility as well. This dual aspect is seen in the Apostle Peter’s second letter.

First we see that God has given to us everything we are ever going to need to grow, both physically as seen in the word ‘life,’ and spiritually as seen in the word ‘godliness.’

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:3)

And while God has given to us everything, including the faith to believe, we are told that we have to add to that faith so that we can live a bountiful and fruitful life.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:5-8)

And while Jesus makes it clear that we can do nothing outside of Him (John 15:5), we need to commit ourselves to grow in both our conduct and character.